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Former BYU guard Egor Demin talks to media at the 2025 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago, Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

Nam Y. Huh, AP Photo

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BYU's Egor Demin rises up for a shot against Alabama in an NCAA Sweet 16 men's basketball game at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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BYU's Egor Demin (3) drives against VCU's Max Shulga in an NCAA first round men's basketball game at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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Do NBA coaches and general managers love former BYU guard Egor Demin?

Or are they wary of drafting him?

The answer lies somewhere in between, lost in gamesmanship and secrecy as the 78th NBA Draft shifts into “put all your cards on the table mode” on Wednesday in Brooklyn, N.Y.

If a team fell in love with Demin during his NBA workouts, it might try not to tip its hand or it might even whisper its non-interest to other teams in hopes of getting Demin to fall to their pick.

That’s how the NBA Draft works.

What we do know is that Demin has been invited to the fabled “Green Room,” where first round picks wait anxiously with their families and friends for their names to be called.

Wherever and whenever he goes, Demin will be the first BYU basketball player drafted since Jimmer Fredette went tenth to Milwaukee (later traded to Sacramento) in 2011.

A quick trip around social media shows there are varied opinions on where Demin might be drafted and by whom. ESPN has Demin going to Atlanta at No. 13, just inside the lottery (first 14 spots).  NBA.com has Demin going to the San Antonio Spurs at No. 14. CBS Sports and Bleacher Report lists Demin at No. 17 (to Minnesota).

You can find just as many stories about Demin’s potential as his weaknesses.

Former BYU and NBA guard Travis Hansen, Demin’s close advisor and mentor, believes the young Russian could go anywhere from No. 7 to No. 12 on Wednesday.

“We’re happy for him,” Hansen said during an interview on ESPN The Fan. “He’s worked really, really hard. And sometimes, when you work hard, great things happen, sometimes incredible things, and sometimes you get invited to the green room.

“He’s been going back-to-back-to-back workouts, traveling from hotel to hotel, Lincoln car to Lincoln car, out of the airports. These teams pick him up, and they bring him in, they interview him, or take him to their house or eat dinner or do workouts. He’s just performed really well.”

Demin, who shot 27% from the 3-point line during his freshman year at BYU, put on a shooting exhibition from distance at several of his NBA workouts and has continued to put good weight on his 6-foot-9-inch frame.

“I just got a call from Anthony Parker, the GM of Orlando Magic, the other day,’ Hansen said. “They just loved him (Demin). He played so well. He’s such a phenomenal person. He interviews extremely well. He acts like he’s twice his age, or that he’s like a five-year elite vet, not a just barely turned 19-year-old kid. So they’re just extremely impressed, like we all were as he came here to BYU. He just shows this kindness and this empathy and this maturity that is beyond his years.”

Demin was equal parts impressive and frustrating during his one season in Provo. There were plenty of moments of brilliance when Demin’s magic passing found a wide-open teammate, or he soared in gracefully for a dunk or layup. He also went through a horrible 3-point shooting slump (missing 22 triples in a row at one point) and was sometimes overpowered by stronger defenders, turning the ball ball over at an alarming rate.

But there was growth.

Demin was the subject of a recent story in Slam magazine by Curtis Rowser III titled, “BYU’s Egor Demin breaks down his journey from Russia to the NBA.”

Rowser III wrote: “In Provo, he was everywhere. Guarding multiple positions. Running the break. Dishing with touch. Setting screens. Reading rotations. He became BYU’s connective tissue. And through it all, his game spoke louder than he did.

“He sees the pass before you see the lane. He anticipates plays before they happen. His frame — long and fluid — lets him make plays few guards can. His basketball IQ exceeds his age, and his character might rate even higher than his game. That might be the most impressive part.

“This isn’t a kid who’s been handed anything. He doesn’t see himself as a final product. He sees himself as a piece that can fit in any puzzle. A weapon that can be sharpened. A player who can make an impact now while evolving into something even greater.”

Demin averaged 13.7 points, 5.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game as a freshman, breaking Danny Ainge’s freshman record with 180 assists. Demin was honorable mention All-Big 12 and a member of the league’s All-Freshman team while leading the Cougars to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

He says he’s ready for his next step and grateful for all the assistance and encouragement he’s received on his journey.

“This is a dream that I was living since the very first day when I took the ball in my hands,” Demin said at the news conference announcing his intent to enter the NBA Draft. “I’m just super excited for everything I’ve gone through until this moment, the hard work I was putting into that and the hard work that people around me were putting in, building this together with me.

“This place is amazing for development, and all the young guys who are looking toward BYU, this place is full of smart people and dedicated people who are putting in the work into the process for you and trying to make you better. It’s about everybody in this program and this huge BYU family.”