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Report: BYU basketball lands top-rated Russian recruit

The Cougars may have gotten one of the best young players in all of Europe.

BYU men's basketball coach Kevin Young gestures during his introductory news conference Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

BYU men's basketball coach Kevin Young gestures during his introductory news conference Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

BYU men’s basketball may have lost Collin Chandler after Mark Pope took the coaching job at Kentucky. But Kevin Young has kept some guys and recruited others, and may have landed his biggest prize yet.

The Cougars got a commitment from Russian guard Egor Demin, a projected top 2025 NBA Draft pick who has been in Europe playing for Real Madrid, per a report by ESPN.

Demin’s name has been coming up on social media in recent days as news broke that he would leave Real Madrid and play some college basketball. BYU was a school that showed up early in reports as offering the 6-foot-9 player a scholarship.

Demin is considered one of the more talented players in Europe. He led Real Madrid to a championship victory in the Euroleague Adidas Next Generation Tournament over the holiday weekend with 26 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks, per Draft Express.

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