ESPN believes Egor Dëmin is one of the NBA's most intriguing second-year players entering 2026-27. After adding strength and revamping his offensive approach, the Nets guard is beginning to show why.
After an up-and-down rookie season, Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Dëmin is entering Year 2 with considerably higher expectations.
ESPN's Zach Kram recently ranked Dëmin No. 9 on his list of the NBA's 10 most interesting second-year players to watch entering the 2026-27 season, pointing to the 20-year-old's encouraging Summer League performance as a reason to believe he could take a significant leap.
Dëmin averaged 10.3 points and 3.3 assists across 52 games as a rookie after Brooklyn selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. While his size and passing ability flashed throughout the season, he struggled to score consistently inside the arc, with 72 percent of his field goal attempts coming from three-point range.
ESPN highlighted how much more comfortable Dëmin has looked during his second Summer League campaign, particularly after adding an estimated 13 to 15 pounds during the offseason. The added strength has translated into a more aggressive approach offensively, allowing him to attack the paint instead of settling for jump shots.
The sophomore has backed up that assessment with his production.
Through four Summer League appearances between the California Classic and Las Vegas, Dëmin averaged 22.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while scoring at least 20 points in every game. He opened the summer with 23 points against Sacramento before posting outings of 20, 22 and 21 points over Brooklyn's next three contests.
The scoring totals stand out, but the way Dëmin has generated them is arguably the bigger development.
As a rookie, defenses often forced Dëmin to settle for jump shots by taking away driving lanes and challenging him to finish through contact. This summer, he's looked far more decisive attacking gaps, getting two feet into the paint and absorbing contact at the rim. It's a noticeable shift from a year ago and one that gives Brooklyn another dimension offensively if it carries into the regular season.
That's an important step for a Nets team that will likely ask more from Dëmin this season.
Brooklyn added proven veterans Julius Randle, Keon Ellis, and Moritz Wagner during the offseason, but the organization's long-term direction still hinges on the development of its recent lottery picks. Dëmin and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. project to be key pieces of that foundation, making internal improvement just as valuable as any offseason addition.
Dëmin received only two votes for the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after a rookie season that featured flashes of potential but lacked consistency. Entering his second year, the focus has shifted from whether he belongs in Brooklyn's rotation to how much of an offensive workload he can handle if this version of his game proves sustainable.
Summer League success doesn't always carry over once the regular season begins, but Dëmin's performance has been encouraging because the improvements go beyond shot-making. His willingness to attack the basket, play through contact and create pressure inside addresses one of the biggest questions from his rookie campaign. If those habits translate against NBA competition, it's easy to understand why ESPN believes he'll be one of the league's most intriguing sophomores to watch this season.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/roundtable-rtb/id6450423049) and stay even more connected!
