​Egor Dëmin faced a tough start scoring downhill in his rookie season with the Brooklyn Nets, and he spent the offseason in the weight room, bulking up to handle more physical play. His interior scoring trailed his perimeter damage last year, as he connected on 43.3% of his 2.4 two-point attempts while ranking among the league’s top shooters from beyond the arc, making 39.9% of his 6.2 attempts from three. The weight room became the first step in his plan to improve, and he began that process earlier than most, especially after Brooklyn shut him down for the remainder of March with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Dëmin used the early offseason to kickstart momentum, devoting time to lifting, refining his nutrition, and maximizing his work in the gym. The payoff was evident at the California Classic Summer League. In Brooklyn’s opener against the Sacramento Kings last Saturday, Dëmin looked like the standout player on the floor, finishing with 23 points on 8-for-15 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds. While his usual outside shot cooled off a bit, going 2-for-8 from deep, his ability to pressure the rim helped keep his night productive.
The Nets’ 2025 first-round pick continued the same form against the Golden State Warriors (Blue) to wrap up the California Classic, dropping another 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting and again struggling from three, going 2-for-7. As Nets summer-league coach Dutch Gaitley noted, the key difference was Dëmin’s newfound ability to attack the paint and convert at the two-point line. “We know he’s a good shooter. He went 2-for-7 from three on Monday,” Gaitley said, adding with a wink that the math in his head might be off, yet the takeaway was clear: he was five-for-five from two in the first game and essentially four-for-four in another attempt, underscoring the progress in his downhill game.
Dëmin’s improved downhill approach adds a new layer to his repertoire, threatening defenses with a 6-foot-8 frame that can both shoot and penetrate. When asked after the Kings loss about his emphasis on attacking the rim, he explained that he’s prioritizing driving more often and embracing the physicality and his positional benefits, even noting the size factor as an advantage.
The development in downhill scoring suggests Brooklyn has hit on one of its five 2025 first-round picks. While Dëmin already contributed as a rotational piece in his rookie year, his current trajectory indicates he could emerge as a solid starter for a franchise aiming to remain competitive next season. The Las Vegas Summer League begins on Friday, with the Nets slated to play four games against the New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, Kings, and Houston Rockets. Dëmin, alongside Mikel Brown Jr., figures to be a focal point for Brooklyn, presenting an opportunity to lead the team toward its first Summer League championship.
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