Rumors

Erik Slater: Asked Egor Demim about playing with Michael Porter Jr: “For me, it’s really important that he’s on the team. I'm super happy... At BYU, I had Trevin Knell, one of the best shooters in the country. And now I have one of the best shooters in the league, which is in the world.” pic.x.com/RX4f1NBKjK

Twitter

As the Nets welcome a young Russian guard with the potential to help spearhead the team's rebuild, he already has a fellow Russian, and former Net, in his corner for guidance. During the team’s introductory press conference for its newest draft picks, incoming rookie Egor Demin told Nets Wire's Sharif Phillips-Keaton that Andrei Kirilenko has been a steady presence throughout his journey to becoming a professional basketball player in the United States. "Yes, I've talked to him throughout all of my career. Moving to Spain, he was a part of that decision at some point," said Demin. "Moving to BYU, especially, obviously, because he lived in Utah."

Sports Illustrated

Cody Taylor: NBA sources: The Raptors hosted a predraft workout today that included Egor Demin (BYU), Chucky Hepburn (Louisville), Clifford Omoruyi (Alabama) and Hansen Yang (China). More workout information ⬇️ therookiewire.usatoday.com/story/sports/n…

Twitter

A total of 13 draft-eligible players have been invited to the NBA’s green room for the 2025 draft so far, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Those players are as follows, sorted by their rank on ESPN’s big board: Cooper Flagg (Duke) Dylan Harper (Rutgers) Ace Bailey (Rutgers) V.J. Edgecombe (Baylor) Tre Johnson (Texas) Khaman Maluach (Duke) Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma) Kon Knueppel (Duke) Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois) Egor Demin (BYU) Carter Bryant (Arizona) Derik Queen (Maryland) Asa Newell (Georgia)

Hoops Rumors

So where does that leave the Bulls? According to a source, Maryland big man Derik Queen is sliding but still isn’t on the Bulls’ radar because of growing concerns about his athletic ability and how that fits with Billy Donovan’s up-tempo pace. He’ll need a private workout with the Bulls to change minds. The Bulls are zoning in on BYU’s Egor Demin, but they’re not alone. Demin — a suddenly hot name — could climb into the top 10.

Chicago Sun-Times

The Bulls are zoning in on BYU’s Egor Demin, but they’re not alone. Demin — a suddenly hot name — could climb into the top 10.

Chicago Sun-Times

Some players enter the draft as a way to gain leverage in NIL contract talks and get more money to return to school. The elite players can even make more than a late first-round pick. The No. 28 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is set to make $2.8 million next season based on the NBA’s rookie scale. Robert Wright III just left Baylor for BYU to make a reported $3 million next season. J.T. Toppin is reportedly getting $4 million to return to Texas Tech. Then there are the international players. Increasingly, they also are not entering the draft early. This year, 27 international players declared early. That’s the fewest since 2012, when just 17 players went into the draft as early entrants. That number hadn’t dipped below 30 in the years since.

New York Times

After playing for the World Team last year representing Jamaica and Congo, AJ Dybantsa told HoopsHype at last year’s Hoop Summit that the plan was to suit up for USA at this Hoop Summit, which was exactly what he did. The game comes easily to him, as he reads and reacts to defenses at ease. The BYU commit got to the rim at will and will continue at the college and professional level with his natural ability to showcase an array of offensive moves partnered with his advanced footwork for his age. His jumper has improved from last year’s Hoop Summit, which will make him even more lethal in the halfcourt.

HoopsHype

Egor Demin has reportedly made up his mind. BYU’s star point guard will forego his remaining college eligibility and declare for the NBA draft, according to a Tuesday report from Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

deseret.com

Let’s start with the financials. It’s now rumored—quite credibly—that some high-level college players are set to make between $2–3 million per year through NIL deals. And that doesn’t even include BYU’s incoming star freshman, AJ Dybantsa, who’s rumored to earn more than double that next season. But this isn’t just about surefire lottery picks or elite NBA prospects. We're also talking about really good college players with uncertain NBA futures—guys who may not be guaranteed to be first-round selections or even drafted at all, for that matter. And for that group, NIL changes everything. Why? Because the risks and financial downside of leaving school too early are greater than ever.

babcockhoops.com

If it wasn’t for Gomes, Danny Berger likely wouldn’t be here today. No reunion. No marriage. No family. Without Gomes, Berger likely would have died on the basketball court in 2012. “The more I go on in life, the more I am grateful for him,” Berger said. “I have a family of my own now and a second chance at life. I can’t thank him enough, because ‘thank you’ doesn’t do it justice.” It was Dec. 4, 2012, and the 6-foot-7 Berger was completing a practice with Utah State in preparation for its game against BYU the next day. “It was the very end of practice, and we were going through BYU’s plays,” Berger remembered. “I got scored on, and that’s the last thing I remember.” Berger had gone into sudden cardiac arrest.

New York Times

A.J. Dybantsa, who committed to BYU in December, traveled to Paris this week for the NBA's Global Games and to get an up close look at Wembanyama, telling ESPN he'd like the Spurs to draft him next year so they can pair up. "I think Victor is just ridiculous, the things he does are just crazy," said Dybantsa, whose Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah) high school team had the week off. "I just think we would've been a crazy duo. Now the odds of that happening are very slim. But I mean, it was just a thought that came up in my mind when he got drafted. But you never know."

ESPN

Utah Prep has a new head coach who has NBA coaching in his background. The high school in Hurricane, Utah, announced that Keith Smart would be their head coach moving forward, which means he will be coaching up BYU signees AJ Dybantsa and Xavion Staton.

kslsports.com

Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 wing, announced his surprising commitment to BYU on Dec. 10 on ESPN’s First Take. The projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft received an NIL deal from BYU believed to be at least $5 million, sources said, and turned down similar scholarships and financial offers from Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama. Dybantsa, who is Catholic, told Andscape he chose the Mormon university in large part because its coaching staff has NBA experience, led by BYU Kevin Young, who was a Suns associate head coach and assistant coach from 2020-24 and coached in the G League. Dybantsa, 17, said that he is trusts Young and BYU to prepare him for the NBA in what is expected to be a one-and-done season. Young says the Cougars are excited and ready for the Utah Prep forward.

Andscape