What early mock drafts are saying about BYU’s Egor Demin and Kanon Catchings

Tuesday night will mark the first time highly touted freshman Egor Demin will officially take the court for BYU, as the Cougars will open their 2024-25 season against Central Arkansas at home.
Ever since Demin committed to BYU back in May, it’s been known that the Cougars would be getting a player that will likely be selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft next June.
With the college basketball season officially underway, what are the latest mock drafts saying about the 6-foot-9, 18-year-old point guard from Russia?
Among seven of the more reputable mock drafts out there, all of them have Demin going somewhere in the first round, with his range being anywhere from No. 8 to No. 23 (there are 30 picks in the first round).
Here’s a look at what’s being said about Demin, or at least where various draft observers have him ranked, as some sites just have rankings and not analysis about players.
BYU will have another big-time freshman prospect this season, as Kanon Catchings joined the fold after previously signing with Purdue. Catchings is widely seen as a player with a ton of upside who isn’t very polished yet.
As such, perhaps it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Catchings is only listed in two of these seven mock drafts, although he is a player who could make a rapid rise with a strong first season in Provo.
Catchings is listed at No. 23 by ESPN and No. 28 by Bleacher Report.
Writes ESPN: “The nephew of longtime WNBA star Tamika Catchings brings an excellent physical profile for a wing at his listed (6-foot-9), and has flashed shotmaking talent and true defensive potential in different settings in which we’ve seen him. Catchings is still raw in areas, but teams will be closely tracking his progress under a coaching staff with NBA pedigree. The tools are there for him to emerge as a first-round-caliber player, but teams will want to get a better sense of his development trajectory and timeline in the early going.”
As for Bleacher Report, it writes of Catchings, “BYU will be a hot destination for scouts this year. Egor Demin is the bigger name coming from Real Madrid, but Kanon Catchings offers the always enticing combo of big-wing size and shooting. … In credible settings, the tape on Catchings’ on-ball creation and decision-making remains limited. Still, assuming he plays to his strengths as a spot-up and transition weapon, the 6′9″ 19-year-old should be able to generate buzz by burying jumpers and making plays above the rim.”