Nets’ Second-Year G Dëmin Named to All-Breakout Team

The media has praised Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Dëmin for his offseason growth, and John Hollinger of The Athletic named him to his All-Breakout Team on Friday.

Dëmin joined 11 other players, including obvious stars like Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. Hollinger said the second-year guard is a bright spot in Brooklyn's depressing 2025 draft class.

He's proved to be the best of the Flatbush Five after left-foot plantar fasciitis ended his rookie season in March. Dëmin took advantage of an early offseason, adding muscle to fill out his frame and spending hours in the gym.

When summer league came around, the 20-year-old was one of the best players. One of Brooklyn's best 3-point shooters became an efficient downhill driver.

Dëmin sought to touch the paint often, and did. His efficiency skyrocketed, as he shot perfectly from inside the arc in two California Classic appearances.

Combining reliable 3-point shooting with downhill scoring made the 6-foot-8 guard into a versatile weapon.

He's no longer confined to the 3-point line for most of his spots. Dëmin can attack poor closeouts for scoring opportunities or dish the ball to a wide-open teammate.

Hollinger believes playing alongside Julius Randle will only enhance Dëmin’s long-range threat. Randle has averaged five or more assists in four of the past six seasons, and he's off to a strong start after dishing seven in the Nets' loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Dëmin is key to Brooklyn's long-term success. The team has seven first-round picks on the roster fighting for a spot in coach Jordi Fernández's rotation.

One of the seven looked promising, but the others haven't caught up.

General manager Sean Marks took a risk drafting Dëmin with the eighth pick. The BYU product struggled to shoot from three (27.3% on 4.7 attempts) and from the charity stripe (69.5% on 2.5 attempts).

He made a remarkable turnaround as a rookie, shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc, and led the Nets' 2025 draft class with 10.6 points.

Dëmin's growth is encouraging for a team needing instant contributors. Marks has the second-year guard on a rookie contract and won't have to worry about a potential extension until 2028-29, when his fourth-year team option can be exercised.

Brooklyn's Flatbush Five leader started the season slowly against the Hornets. He finished with four points on 2-for-10 shooting.

A poor season-opener drew early criticism from fans, but it's Game 1 of 82. Dëmin has time to bounce back and prove Hollinger is right about his breakout year.