Egor Demin, the Nets’ first lottery choose in 15 years, entered his rookie season with questions on his capturing and rapidly silenced them, pulling down seven of his first 11 3-pointers and hitting 40.9% from deep total in first 4 video games.
“I think it goes with putting the work in, so all the credit to him,” head coach Jordi Fernández mentioned. “Obviously, the coaches, he works with them. And once you put the work in, you see it go in. When you shoot it in a game you believe in all of what you’ve done before.”
If Brooklyn had drafted Demin to be a pure motion shooter within the mildew of Joe Harris, his early numbers would look terrific. However the Nets invested the eighth choose in him to turn out to be their lead creator, and his restricted playmaking thus far provides extra nuance to that early success.
Via 4 video games, every of Demin’s 22 shot makes an attempt has come from behind the arc. He’s appeared hesitant to stress the rim, averaging solely 2.5 assists with a season-high of 4 towards the Cleveland Cavaliers. Coming into Sunday’s matchup towards the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Middle, he sits simply two 3-point makes an attempt shy of the league report for many 3s with out a two-point shot to open a profession.
Even by rookie requirements, his lack of aggression getting downhill is difficult to disregard. With Brooklyn’s different rookie guards providing little offensive punch, veteran ahead Terance Mann assumed extra playmaking duties in Wednesday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, whereas Demin sat your entire fourth quarter.
Brooklyn’s offense has held its personal, however unlocking its full potential depends upon Demin and the opposite rookie guards studying find out how to generate higher motion and spacing for the group round them.
“I think it starts with the point guard spot,” Michael Porter Jr. mentioned. “We have a lot of rookie point guards who are going to be great in this league for a long time, but they’re still rookies… I think the point guard position may be the hardest position in the game, and we have a lot of young guys playing that position. So, it’s really hard to win when that point guard spot isn’t solidified.”
Demin clearly has progress to make in that space, however he’s proven an understanding of his personal limitations, and that consciousness is commonly the place actual improvement begins.
“I think mentality is a big part of it, how aggressive I am mentally,” Demin mentioned. “For now, I wish I was more aggressive putting pressure on the rim. And I think that is what I’m missing in my game right now… That is where it’s going to open up so many more opportunities for all of us — me personally and my teammates. I think that’s something I’ve got to overall get together physicality-wise, technical-wise and mentally.”
Fernández mentioned the Nets are encouraging Demin to increase his sport past the arc and turn out to be extra assertive attacking the paint. He famous that whereas the rookie’s perimeter capturing has already made him a menace, the following step is studying how to attract contact, make reads off two toes and create for others when defenses collapse.
“He’s got to figure it out,” Fernández mentioned. “Obviously, I want him to touch the paint. Everybody will figure it out that he’s a threat from the 3-point line, but he cannot play just behind the 3.”
