In many ways, the 2024-25 NBA season has been a massive success for the Toronto Raptors. While their 7-17 record, as of this writing, may not reflect a team excelling in the current season—that is certainly the case for the Raptors.
The Raptors have proven to be a team that is taking major strides in terms of player development. Key pieces like Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, and others have all showcased improvements in their individual games.
In fact, the efforts and strides demonstrated by many members of the Raptors squad have placed them in the upper echelon of NBA rosters that consistently exceed expectations.
As a result, Toronto has been a team that most probably do not fancy seeing on their schedule.
Despite the Raptors' record, they are a team that can be a pest for anyone on any given night. Throughout the season, the Raptors have experienced a handful of tight losses. While some may view this as a negative, it genuinely feels like a best-case scenario in many ways.
Injuries and other factors have kept a Raptors team that is likely good enough to make it to the NBA Play-In Tournament away from the win column for much of this season. However, this will ultimately be beneficial for the Raptors in the long run.
Looking ahead to the 2025 NBA Draft
There has been a lot of talk surrounding the 2025 NBA Draft. Most would agree that this is a highly anticipated year for the draft. The big names—Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and others—will draw significant interest from fans. Bearing that in mind, there may be franchise-altering talents among this year's lottery selections.
6'8 PG Egor Demin in his NCAA debut:
— Teg🚨 (@IQfor3) November 6, 2024
18 points
11 assists
4 steals
7-13 FG
4-7 3P pic.twitter.com/Cf1FcLTAxx
The Raptors currently have the sixth-best odds in the upcoming NBA Draft, meaning they have an opportunity to select one of the top talents available. One player worth monitoring in this process is BYU guard Egor Demin.
The Russian point guard was a player with whom many were captivated during his time overseas. His start to the 2024-25 NCAA season has done little to diminish that excitement. On the contrary, it’s safe to say that Demin has risen up the draft boards with his performances so far.
Demin is averaging 13.3 points, while shooting a healthy 49.3 percent from the field, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game at BYU.
One of the bigger questions surrounding his game was whether he could turn his solid shooting mechanics into practical results. So far, he has succeeded in doing that. Demin is connecting on 38.5 percent from beyond the arc this campaign.
The six-foot-nine guard has showcased a strong all-around game and is rapidly developing aspects of his skill set, such as his shooting, that needed improvement.
Currently, Demin is projected as high as the second overall pick by some NBA Draft sources. If the oversized guard is still available when the Raptors make their selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, Demin should receive serious consideration.