Part of a point guard’s job is to raise the efficiency of the players around him. Thirteen games into his rookie season, Egor Demin is still learning how to do that consistently, but the early signs point to a player already trending in the right direction.
One area where that growth already shows is his ability to generate clean looks from deep. According to Nets PR, teammates are shooting 39.5% from 3-point range on passes from Demin, well above Brooklyn’s overall 33.4% mark through 14 games. When he touches the ball, the shots tend to get easier.
And while his 3.4 assists per game don’t jump off the page, the impact goes beyond the box score. With Demin steering the offense, shooters tend to settle in. His timing, vision and feel for where the ball needs to go help teammates find a rhythm from distance. Among teammates, third-year forward Noah Clowney has been the biggest beneficiary of Demin’s dimes, knocking down 47.6% of his 3s off the rookie’s setups.
That developing chemistry is no accident, according to head coach Jordi Fernández.
“Number one, the willingness they have to work together and build a relationship, so you have to put it on them,” Fernández said. “And then obviously the minutes played. Egor, I believe, leads the rookies right now in minutes. And Noah, as one of the younger guys, third year in the league, just turned 21. He’s earned those minutes. He’s doing great things, and we believe and know they can do even better.”
With more reps together, Clowney said he’s learning to anticipate Demin’s reads and move in rhythm with him. The results have followed, as the Nets own a 114.4 offensive rating in their 192 shared minutes this season.
Clowney noted that Demin’s quiet nature can be misleading. Even when he’s not saying much, he’s locked in, receptive and quick to follow guidance from teammates.
“Pull behind. He likes to pass, so make yourself available to where he can pass you the ball,” Clowney said. “He really likes to hit ahead. He feels there’s no need to fight ball pressure, so he kicks the ball ahead. Now we got a four-on-four and a lot more space.”
Demin said his relationship with Clowney has been important early on, but he knows he has to develop that kind of trust with the full team. Clowney, growing into more of a veteran presence, often helps him think through situations and read the game.
“That’s something as a point guard I really need to learn, how to manage situations with anybody on the court,” Demin said.
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