The NBA Summer League has wrapped up. Free agency is in full swing, training camp is around the corner, and pre-season is less than three months away. Fans across the world are eagerly awaiting the tip-off of the upcoming NBA season.
The NBA Draft took place in late June, bringing another wave of young, hungry, and competitive talent eager to make an immediate impact. The 2026 class was regarded as one of the strongest in recent memory, highlighted by elite freshman guards AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. The two battled for the No. 1 overall pick, with Dybantsa ultimately edging Peterson in a tight showdown.
The previous draft class didn’t disappoint either, as last year’s rookies produced an epic Rookie of the Year battle. What initially seemed like a one-man show turned into a neck-and-neck race between the first overall pick, Cooper Flagg, and his former Duke teammate, Kon Knueppel. Flagg ultimately held off Knueppel to claim the award after an offensive surge late in the regular season.
Flagg is already a phenom, while Knueppel shattered multiple three-point records and emerged as one of the best shooters in the league. There’s little doubt both will continue to shine, but they aren’t the only sophomores poised for a breakout. Here are the second-year players ready to make the leap and establish themselves as future NBA stars.
Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets won just eight games last season and struggled. But the rebuild is underway, and Brooklyn’s three first-round picks from the 2025 class have a year of playing under their belt and should be ready for the next step to elevate the franchise. Demin produced a solid rookie campaign, averaging 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from downtown.
The Russian native is just 20 years old but has already impressed fans, coaches, and experts this summer. He was dominant in the Summer League – he scored at least 20 points in each of his three games. When he first stepped into the arena, there was no doubt he spent his offseason improving, as he looks stronger and fitter than he did in his rookie season.
“The lifting room was probably the biggest offseason priority,” Demin said. “Gaining some weight, making sure I’m good with my nutrition and all of it. Doing as much as I can on the court also, being dialled in with that.”
Now physically stronger, Demin is ready to take on more responsibility and become Brooklyn’s cornerstone. He has formed a dynamic duo with rookie Mikel Brown Jr., giving the Nets a prospective backcourt.
