Rookie guard Egor Demin earned his first career start on Friday night and appears set to stay in that role while Cam Thomas recovers from a strained hamstring, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
The Nets’ No. 8 overall pick from this year’s draft turned in a promising performance, finishing with eight points, seven assists, and just one turnover in Brooklyn’s win.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez praised Demin’s poise, work ethic, and defensive instincts after the game.
“He’s a really smart kid. He asks questions, he works at it, so I know he’ll understand all that,” Fernandez said.
“His super power on defense (is) his length and rebounding. And if you look at (Friday), he grabbed three rebounds. And he should be able to get a lot of deflections because … his length, his positioning on defense is very good. So, keep growing on that end of the floor for sure.”
Lewis noted that Fernandez also used Friday’s game as a teaching opportunity. During the first half, Demin forced a couple of quick shots during a Detroit 9-0 run, prompting the coach to pull him aside and discuss the mistakes.
The player later said he welcomed the feedback and values Fernandez’s communication style.
“It’s really good for everybody – not just me, but the whole group in general – knowing that Jordi is really trying to help us and help the group,” Demin said.
“And he’s super open to communicate and tell us what exactly he wants from us and not just the group, but each of us as personnel. And for me, it’s important to hear some advice from him during the game, before the game, after the game, things like this. So I think it’s really cool.”
Nets Notes: Demin, Thomas, Porter, Clowney https://t.co/eMaTNGXPdr pic.twitter.com/pnDcGBHIrT
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 9, 2025
