Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernández said Thursday that rookie Egor Dёmin will debut with the team on Friday in their preseason finale against the Toronto Raptors.
Dёmin was limited to begin training camp due to a plantar fascia tear that he had been dealing with since summer league. He said at media day that the injury wasn’t a “big deal” and likely occurred as a byproduct of his workload over time, rather than on one specific play.
The 19-year-old has made steady progress on the court in his rehabilitation and has returned to practice as a full participant. He is expected to log some minutes against the Raptors, according to C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News.
Jordi Fernandez said rookie guard Egor Demin has been playing 5-on-5 at practice and is expected to get minutes in tomorrow’s preseason finale against Toronto.
— C.J. Holmes (@HolmesScribe) October 16, 2025
Dёmin was the eighth pick in the 2025 NBA draft after averaging 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals last season at BYU. He is among a packed draft class for the Nets, joining Nolan Traoré (19th pick), Powell (22nd), Ben Saraf (26th) and Danny Wolf (27th).
The 6-foot-9 Russian has worked extensively to embrace the physicality and pace that is played with in the NBA. He has added about 10 pounds since the draft combine to prepare for the increased contact he’ll experience throughout his rookie campaign.
Dёmin projects to have the opportunity to eventually become the starting point guard. The team will likely ease him into action, but the group is excited to have him available to play, with the regular season tipping off on Wednesday.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Nets news: Jordi Fernández provides positive update on Egor Dёmin
