Former NBA scout reacts to Nets' 2025 NBA Draft first-round picks
"I think he's a really quality player. I really like his skillset, I really like his game. The big question mark is how well he can shoot it, but he's got size, he's got the skill," Michael VandeGarde, former NBA scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, said in a conversation with Nets Wire. VandeGarde, like most people who have been following this draft class, believe that Demin has talent, but it was still shocking to see Brooklyn take him as high as they did.
Advertisement
"I think the versatility that he brings to the table and his passing ability is going to be a real asset value in the NBA," VandeGarde continued. "So, he's spotted in that range. I think he's got quality, quality upside if his shooting numbers improve. I think it's a great pick. Only time will tell."
Demin, 19, has been regarded by many NBA Draft experts as the best passer in the class, meaning that the Nets may have their point guard of the future if he is able to improve his flaws, most notably his shooting. Demin is coming off a 2024-25 season in which he averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 41.2% from the field and 27.3% from three-point land.
"His talent is undeniable, as his combination of size and passing ability is rare. He's far away from reaching his physical potential, but his upside has obvious appeal and time is on his side," ESPN's Jonathan Givony said during his section on Demin. At the moment, it seems that head coach Jordi Fernandez and the rest of the player development/coaching staff have their work cut out for them.
*Editor's note: VandeGarde is currently involved with CoachTube, a digital platform that offers online coaching courses from current and former athletes as well as prominent coaches at all levels. The site is geared towards athletes looking to upgrade their development as well as coaches looking to enhance their understanding.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Former NBA scout reacts to Nets' 2025 NBA Draft first-round picks
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lynx star Napheesa Collier exits game vs. Aces with right ankle injury
Minnesota Lynx star and WNBA MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier left Saturday's road game against the Las Vegas Aces late in the third quarter with a right ankle injury. Collier rolled her ankle while running into Lynx forward Alanna Smith, who, like Collier, was tracking a potential offensive rebound. Collier's right foot collided with the back of Smith's left foot. After getting twisted up, Collier hit the deck. The five-time All-Star forward couldn't stand up at first. The Lynx trainers had her sit back down. But ultimately she was able to walk gingerly off the court and into the locker room under her own power, albeit with an arm around the shoulder a Minnesota staffer. At the time, the Lynx were up 92-49 on the Aces, who had their bench in the game from about midway through the third quarter on. Collier scored just four points during a 67-point Lynx first half that featured lights out shooting from her teammates, including from five-time All-Star guard Kayla McBride, who tied a WNBA record with 8 made 3s in one half. But Collier joined the scoring party in the third quarter when she recorded 14 points, giving her 18 on the day before she went down. Collier, who captained an All-Star team this year, entered the weekend with a league-high 23.8 points per game. This story is being updated.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kerry Carpenter's solo home run (18)
Kerry Carpenter hits a solo home run to right-center field, increasing the Tigers' lead to 2-0 in the 3rd inning
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Byron Buxton looks to be a calming presence in Twins' clubhouse after a flurry of deadline moves
CLEVELAND (AP) — Every time Byron Buxton picked up his phone Thursday afternoon, there was a text message or news ping that one of his Minnesota Twins teammates was being traded. Two days later, Buxton was still trying to take in all the moves the Twins made as the front office made nine trades and turned over nearly 40% of the roster. Even though the All-Star center fielder is on the 10-day injured list with left ribcage inflammation, Buxton joined the Twins in Cleveland for this weekend's series as the franchise's clubhouse leader wanted to be there to provide support and be a sounding board for teammates. 'I mean ,trading nine guys like that is something that's not normal, so it was a little bit of a shock for sure,' Buxton said before Saturday's game. 'Right now, obviously, I haven't processed it. I don't know who has processed it, but something we'll talk about a little bit more at the end of the season.' Manager Rocco Baldelli said that having Buxton on the trip was important, not only for the support that he can give, but also because he remains on track to rejoin the lineup on Wednesday when the Twins are at Detroit. 'Keeping him with our trainers here and being able to get on the field here with the group when he's ready was important, but also the support that he's going to be giving the guys around him. Everybody looks to him, everyone looks to see how he'll respond to things, and he's a passionate guy. He cares about his teammates and his team and guys respect him immensely.' Buxton said he understands that baseball is a business and he anticipated moves were going to be made near the deadline. However, the amount of turnover was surprising. The Twins' most-significant move near the deadline was when shortstop Carlos Correa was dealt to Houston. Correa broke into the majors with the Astros and still has a house in Houston as he waived his no-trade clause. 'It's one of those things where you didn't think he was going to leave but with the opportunity that was ahead of him and just him being an Astro before, it's hard to pass that up in his situation. I couldn't be happier for him and his family. It is what's best for him,' Buxton said about Correa. While there are a lot of unknowns about the Twins as the team remains for sale, Buxton is trying to focus on the present. That includes making sure the new faces on the team can get acclimated quickly as well as trying to make sure the season doesn't spiral too much out of control. Minnesota won the AL Central in 2023, but missed the playoffs with an 82-80 mark last season. The Twins entered Saturday at 51-58 and on a three-game losing streak. 'These guys coming up, I don't want them to look at this as 'I finally got a shot.' You came up here because you want to win and you want to be better. So it's just playing together and having each other's backs is going to be the biggest thing going forward,' he said. ___ AP MLB:
