Egor Demin: The Russian Phenom Fueling BYU's Historic NCAA Tournament Run

From Moscow to March Madness: Egor Demin's Unlikely Journey

Standing at 6-foot-9 with court vision belying his 19 years, BYU point guard Egor Demin represents both the globalization of basketball and a potential program-changing talent for the Cougars. His path from Moscow's famed Trinta Academy to Provo reads like a basketball odyssey few could have scripted.

Breaking Boundaries: A Russian Dream

Born in 2006 to Russian national team veteran Vladimir Demin, Egor grew up in a basketball-obsessed household where:

• NBA games required middle-of-the-night viewing sessions
• The league felt "like being in space" for a Moscow teenager
• His mother's influence instilled professional discipline by age 10

"It was really hard to think about the NBA being in Moscow," Demin told ESPN. "I didn't see that trajectory."

Real Madrid Crucible

At 16, Demin made the leap to Real Madrid's academy - Europe's premier development program:

The College Basketball Gamble

Despite a Real Madrid first-team offer, Demin shocked European basketball by choosing BYU over:

• Traditional blue bloods (Duke, UConn)
• Immediate pro contracts
• Established European clubs

"Who can teach me better about NBA than an NBA coach?" Demin said of Kevin Young's staff.

March to Madness

After early season struggles, Demin has become BYU's tournament X-factor:

Tournament Impact

• First Round: 15 pts, 31 mins vs VCU
• Second Round: 11 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast vs Wisconsin

With NBA scouts projecting him as a top-10 pick, Demin could become:

• BYU's highest draft pick since Shawn Bradley (1993)
• First Cougar freshman/sophomore ever drafted
• The fulfillment of that "impossible" Russian childhood dream

"The sky's the limit," said coach Kevin Young. "His feel is really good."

As BYU prepares for its Sweet 16 clash with Alabama, one truth emerges: The kid who once watched NBA highlights on his way to school in Moscow now carries an entire program's hopes on his 6-foot-9 frame.