November 11, 2025 • 28 mins
On Episode 2 of the Nets Pod, presented by Ticketmaster, YES Network analyst Sarah Kustok chats with Brooklyn Nets rookie and 2025 eighth overall pick Egor Dëmin. They talk about his journey from Europe to college to the NBA, relive the excitement of Draft night, life in Brooklyn, and the music he’s been vibing to lately.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome into another edition of Netspod with Sarahkustack, presented by
a ticketmaster. I'm Sarahkustack, and I am extremely excited about
this episode.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yegor, gentlemen Jaeger, thanks for being here with us.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
A number eight overall pick, of course of the Brooklyn
Nets this past draft, part of that historic draft class
of five rookies in the first round. But first things first,
how is your welcome to Brooklyn been?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
It was amazing, I thought, you know, I was super
excited getting drafted here and obviously didn't need to fly
anywhere from the Draft knight. It was exciting. I was
already at the arena and it was great to see
who Brooklyn pick up after me, and it was it
was super exciting.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Before we get into that, because I want to dig
into draft night with you. You have an incredible story.
It's been a fun journey just watching you come into
the NBA. You're born in Moscow, Russia. You ended up
leaving when you were fifteen years old to go to
Real Madrid and play in Spain.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yep, fifteen, What was that like? There was an amazing
opportunity for me. I think that's the first thing, you know,
I was playing in Russia, kind of enjoying just the
journey right of basketball, never thinking of something big like
moving to other country alone, you know, to pursue my
(01:22):
kind of goals. Yeah, and then when the opportunity came,
it's something like, Okay, I have no choice at this
point because I love basketball so much and I want
to follow this path, right, And I thought it was
an amazing opportunity for me to get to play overseas,
overseas from Russia, right, and get to know this new
(01:46):
level of basketball, to get ready for something bigger.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You talk about something bigger, but take me back even earlier.
You were from a basketball oriented family. Your dad played
professionally in Russia, your mom played, your brother, your older
brother played.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yes, yes, all my family played basketball. As you said,
my dad played professionally, he played in Russia several teams.
My mom played in high school. And they actually met
in high school. They were playing in there the same year,
so the same class. Yeah, yeah, so they they just
that's how they met, basically, right, And my brother also
(02:21):
played basketball.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
When do you feel like you first fell in love
with You talk about this passion and following this path,
but when do you feel like you first fell in
love with the game of basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I think, well, it's actually kind of funny for me
now thinking about it, because I obviously get some stories
from my parents all the time that I don't really
remember now, right, And my mom would tell me like,
you never wanted to play basketball. I'm like, what do
you mean, Like that's you know, all our families in there.
How am I not wanting to be the same, right,
(02:56):
She's like, that's the reason. You just wanted to be different?
And she said there was a story when I said, Hey,
I don't want to play with my hands. I want
to be I want to I want to use my legs.
So I'm like, I'm going to go play soccer. Never
touched the soccer soccer ball end up being in basketball anyway, obviously,
because it just it was, you know, it was kind
(03:16):
of a mantra of this family. So and yeah, I
mean it became important for me very early, I believe,
because I was all around my brother and his team
and his assistant coach eventually became a head coach of
my team. So it kind of where it progresses a
(03:37):
lot at that point of my life.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Can you beat your brother now?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
When were you able to first beat him? What was that?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Like?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
What was that dynamic?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Like? We actually didn't play much one on one because
he's five years older than me and there was too
big of a gap. But then when I actually became
good to beat him, he stopped playing with me. Didn't
want it. Okay, he didn't want that smoke, So fair enough.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So take us.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
You're fifteen years old, you go to Spain, You're by yourself.
I assume this is the first time you're away from
your family, lived by yourself. What was the biggest adjustment
with that and being a pro I.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Think first of all the language. I kind of stepped
into it with my eyes closed, basically, you know, like
going to swim without knowing how to swim. Right. I
didn't know any English, any Spanish.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And you only spoke Russian.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
On the Russian on the Russian. And obviously it was
so stressful for my parents, probably more not probably definitely
more than for me, right, and my mom was like,
how are you gonna are you not nervous? Like, how
are you gonna speak with people? I'm like, well, figure
it out. At this point, basketball language is all the
same all over the world. Right. So as long as
(04:58):
I played basketball, I wasn't worrying about anything really else,
and I was confident that I'm going to figure out
all the things outside of the court.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Did you do your own laundry? Did you know how
to cook?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Well? I was lucky enough to be at the academy
where it was all taken care of and Real Madrid
did a great job, and they keep doing it with
their academy and raising kids and really just picking up
some talents from all over the world and bringing their
(05:33):
abilities right into the basketball live and making them even
better by taking care of some things that you know
would take the focus away from basketball.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
What would you describe your game to be.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
We see your game now, we know the vision you have,
the instincts, your passing ability, all that. Do you feel
like that was what your game was always predicated on.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I've always been dedicated to the idea of being efficient,
no matter what it takes for me. And I could
tell I've always been super unselfish about my own statistics,
and at some point of my life it almost became
a problem because I would be too polite and too unselfish,
(06:22):
you know, and sometimes it's not helping to win a game, right,
sometimes you need to be a little bit of a
jerk and be more aggressive and the more selfish in
a healthy way of this world. Right, But I think
that's who I am, and that's how that's that's what
(06:43):
was my advantage, right growing up growing up in Russia,
And that's you know, thanks to my coach, my first coach,
who actually gave me a lot of chances to make
mistakes for those passes, right and develop my vision, develop
my kind of a basketball high Q. Right. That kind
of brings to the point where I am who I
(07:05):
am right now, right, So, and it got.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
You to the NBA. But first bring the me on.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
You decide that you want to come and come to
the States go to college. What made you decide One
that that was the next step for you in this chapter?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
And two that that because you were the first five
star recruit correct of that universary?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Yeah, So what made you decide that that was the
place and that was the step you wanted to take?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Well, So when we finished our last when I finished
my last season in the Academy of Real Madrid, I
got a couple of options on the table. Obviously, the
first one was to go back to Russia and play professionally.
Another option was to stay in Real Madrid in the
first team, in the professional team, right they offered me,
(07:52):
and you know, but at this point you don't know
either I'm going to be in a team actually in
vitation or I'm going to go to somewhere else. But
they're going to have my rights and things like this.
So there's a lot of details in European contracts. And
the other option was obviously college, which for me, I'm like, okay,
(08:13):
that's probably not an option.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Why.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
I don't know. I just didn't feel like it. I
just didn't. I couldn't see myself. I couldn't mentionine myself
playing in college.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
The basketball part of the school part.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I think both. I was so happy finishing school in
Spain and I'm like, okay, I'm never going to study again.
I'm never going to study again. And I was. I
was super excited about it. You know, they were asking me,
are you you going to go to like to university
in Spain. I'm like, nope, I'm okay, I'm just going
to keep playing basketball, you know, and enjoying my free time.
(08:49):
But then analyzing all the good and bad I realized
that college is probably the best thing for me right
now for my development. And I wasn't trying to be
focused on the final result as much as a process.
Right And even though those other two options to play
(09:10):
professionally are looking like okay, oh, I'm getting a professional contract,
I'm becoming a grown man in basketball, right terms, but
college is like, okay, I gotta keep studying younger, younger players, right.
But that's what I thought was going to help me
the most, right. I didn't want to do too big
(09:32):
of a jump, so then I regret and probably have
to step back twice. Right. So we decided that with
my family that college is probably an option. But now
there is a choice of where I'm going to go.
And that was a hard work, not just me, especially
(09:54):
my parents. Right, they were working even more than me
understanding what is going to be the best place for
me to go play, to go leave, to go study.
And yeah, we end up finalizing it on three schools,
which were b y U, Illinois, and Arkansas. And yeah,
(10:18):
the process was super long, and we end up on
b y U.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
And you fell in love with school and studying.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I honestly no, listen, that is it's such a like
impressive thing for my for myself, like when I got
to b Yu, so obviously you know, as I said,
there was a lot of work on understanding where I'm going, right,
and Koa Chiang was probably the main reason, not probably
definitely was the main reason of why I went there.
(10:47):
And then understanding that the what type of school by
U is and how many smart people came out of there. Uh,
such a business school they have, right, and all the
opportunities they get because of the approach and culture inside
(11:08):
of it. I just loved it so much. And you know,
their culture is I think really really main thing of
this place. I think it's very important for athletes to
be focused on what they have to be focused on
with some additions that are helping them to develop in
(11:29):
their lives, not just in the court, right, And I
thought BYU is going to be the perfect place for
me where I have no distractions from outside besides school,
which also was super flexible for the athletes, right, not
just me, but everybody, and everybody just wanted me to
(11:49):
succeed there even more than I wanted for myself probably right,
and for me it was just important even more important
for my parents that I was safe, and I even
if I wanted to go to party, it was hard
to find any parties there. So I think that's a
cool advantage of the school.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
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Speaker 1 (12:37):
Slash Nets and then your season mock drafts start coming.
The NBA, I'm sure became more and more real in
your mind. So let's fast forward to New York to
Barkley Center to draft night. What was going through your
mind knowing that everything you had done, everything you'd work for,
like the strain that you had had was finally starting
(13:00):
to come in fruition.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah, and it's and it's such a special like thoughts
for me, Like every time I'm thinking about it, I'm
like I get these like butterflies, you know what I mean.
And even though it's already happened, right, but it's still
like I'm remembering being a kid who's like, there's an NBA,
but it's like it's there, It's it's no near here,
(13:24):
and how do I even like it's It was always
in my mind, but it never been a goal because
it just it was unreachable thing really, especially playing in
RUSSI obviously coming to Spain it kind of get me
closer to it. And when I start seeing some attention
from you know, the NB scouts or reporters, whatever it is,
(13:45):
the media, I'm like, okay, that's not a dream anymore.
It's a goal, right, And before that moment it was
only a dream. It was somewhere somewhere else, right, And
not many people reach there from Russia obviously, compared to
the American players and for the guys in high schools here,
(14:08):
it's like, okay, that's NBA. It's another step. For me,
it was like okay, if I reached there, it almost
like okay, my life is completed, obviously, But then when
I did complete it, it's it's like, Okay, that's actually
is another step, right, and now I need to set
bigger goals and have bigger dreams and really understand why
(14:28):
I'm here.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
For Before you get there, when you feel those feelings
and emotions, what stands out most about that day to you?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
The draft night? Yeah, just having my mom next to me,
you know, I wish I wish my dad was there too.
He couldn't make it because of the documents whatever, and
my brother, but you know, and it it was just
meaning a lot to me having some people that are
very important for me to be there with me, right
(14:59):
because it was also their dream for me. And it
was actually super emotional when I talked to my dad
and he was like, man, I was growing up in
your age dreaming about the NBA and about Draft night
as a player. But then there's a time of day
(15:19):
of his life where he had to kind of get
away from those thoughts already because he's like, well, I
got to give it up pretty much, right, he's too old.
He understands he can't really make it there anymore. And
then he had to focus on raising his family right
and making sure he's successful in life outside of basketball.
(15:42):
And then at this point he's like that dream came
back in just different shape of it. He's like, now
I want to I want to be in the draft night,
but for my son, not for myself anymore. And I
was like, that's that's pretty deep, Like that's think that's
important for me, you know, hearing from him that, and
(16:02):
I wish he was there because it was it was
such a big deal for him, but he was watching
live and yeah, his emotions were so much deeper than mine, honestly. Yeah,
And when I talked to him for the first time,
it was it was it was really cool, really exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
You talk about next goals, What responsibility does that make
you feel or make you feel like you want to
have for then what your career may potentially become.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
You know, I don't want to. I don't like talking
about like responsibilities, right, And you know, somebody asks, is
there a pressure from your country, from your family, your friends?
There is always a pressure, right, and there's always some expectations.
But I feel like for me, it's very important to
find the right approach for dealing with it and really
(16:51):
just be focused on myself in a way of like Okay,
what how I feel right, staying healthy mentally, giving everything
I have to be ready to go on the court
and be the best version of myself right and set
my own goals, and if it takes time, it takes time, right.
(17:11):
Some people obviously want it to happen like this, and
do I want it? Of course, I want it to
be tomorrow right. But I also understand that it's not
always perfect, right, and there's now perfect days. Sometimes it's low,
sometimes it's high, And I just got to be ready
to stay focus on this path and really, you know,
(17:33):
follow these goals and dreams that I have.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Give us your perspective on hearing your name being called
drafted by the Brooklyn Nets and being a part of
this organization in this franchise that.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Was huge, you know. And for me it was a
lot of players, as I hear it from the past,
a lot of players players often they know where they
go before or they even get called, right, it was
not my situation. I didn't know where I'm gonna be at.
And I did so many workouts, well, not more than
(18:10):
some of the guys I've heard crazy stories with like
twenty five workouts pre draft. I did fourteen but because
I didn't know where exactly my range is right, And
at this point I'm like, well, whatever happens, you know,
I'm gonna try my best to be as good of
(18:31):
a player and as good of a person I can
be for that organization. And obviously, you know, hearing my
name called to Brooklyn Ats was like wow, Like that's
the place I actually wanted to be. And it's actually
a crazy story. I have a crazy story about it
because I was on the workout with them. It was
the early workout. It was my third workout. I think
(18:55):
I loved the all the organization so much on that
one workout and all the coaching stuff and front office,
and I talked to some of the coaches right and
I'm like, hey, I'm going to be back here. I'm like,
you know, I loved it here, guys, thank you so much,
but like I'm going to be back here. You know,
(19:18):
we're gonna wait for the moment I'm going to be back.
And then I forgot about it that I even said this,
and I never said it to anybody else. It was
just like whatever, Like I was just trying to express that,
you know, I would love to be back here. And
then after the draft. It was arfk RFK the coach,
and after the draft I came and the first time
(19:39):
I see him, he's like, man, you told me, you
told me you're going to be back here. And I'm like, oh,
this is true. Like that's and you know, I don't
like the word manifesting, but that's kind of what happened.
You know. I really was trying to project myself being
in the place where the place that is going to
be good for me right and the place that I'm
(20:01):
going to be good for where I'm needed, where I needed,
and the place that I need, and it happened. So
I was, I was. I was more than just happy,
that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Can you manifest some things for me.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
That Brooklyn itself, the community, the food, the place that
what what have you enjoyed most about Brooklyn itself as
a borough?
Speaker 3 (20:27):
It's I think everybody can tell that Brooklyn have such
a like cultural energy and the strength of community and
how much is important just to know streets right, to
know outside and really to know your fans, to know
people to talk to them. And for me it was
it's a big deal for me, you know, I want
(20:47):
to stay grounded and for me. The way to stay
grounded is just to go outside talk to people. And
you know, I, I how can I I can't even
really just explain this feeling. But I treat myself the
same as anybody else, right, And I never I say
to my family, if you ever feel like I'm treating
myself better than somebody, you gotta slap me or I
(21:10):
don't know, do something with it, because that's like my
biggest fear right to be to be out of the
ground a little bit. So that's very important to me.
And I think that's the perfect place to find new friends,
find new restaurants, right, new places to go and just
go for a walk. And that's what I've been doing.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
What's the favorite food.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I'm a big either, so I can't really tell what's
my one favorite food. But I've been in a lot
of places. I've been in Italian restaurants, some Asian food, steakhouses.
So I've been exploring pizza, pizza.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yes, yes, do you have a favorite pizza spot yet?
Speaker 3 (21:52):
So my first actually, my first pizza place in Brooklyn
was locally locally, right, Yeah, I've heard that's it's the
Brooklyn that spot. So we've been there actually, with the
team for the first time, so it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Well done. Have you explored the streets just by foot?
You get out on bikes? Are we?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Are we a little bit?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
I mean I have a love yegor.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I just discovered city bikes last summer and now I
ride them everywhere.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Are you Do you follow the rules? Do you stay
in the bike pass?
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Oh? Definitely, you stop when I don't want to. I
don't want to get killed. That's why I gotta follow
the rules. So, especially New York, with all love and
respect to this place, it's it's pretty dangerous sometimes out there.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Has it been overwhelming to you at all?
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Sometimes just from the point of it never slips, like
it never was, the action and the motion never stops
really and a lot of sounds around, you know, especially
coming from Utah last year, from Provo, where there's a
point where it's everything is shot right, there's no sounds,
(22:58):
nothing is working. Sometimes it's frustrating, but at the same
time it's like, Okay, that's peaceful New York. It's never stops,
which is I mean, it's not good or bad, it's
just New York.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
We love it.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
It's hot, which brings us to hot ticket. You send
it by Ticketmaster. Experienced your nets live with Ticketmaster, the
official ticket marketplace of the Brooklyn Nets.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
So jegor are you a big music person?
Speaker 3 (23:25):
I would say, so, what are the.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Top five songs right now in your rotation? Either top
five most recent or top five I.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Can tell you the reacents. So I'm a really like
mood music person, if it's like I think at all, Yes,
Like I really like to have. I have all genres.
I don't stay to like rap on the or like
on the R and B. I listen kind of to everything.
(23:53):
And lately I've been so heavy on country.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Wow, okay, you didn't tell to pay.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
That put me on some country right. And I was
a beginner last year, but now I get deeper into it.
So I'm like, I'm like really excited about the people.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Tell the people the country songs, the top five country
songs you want to listen?
Speaker 3 (24:15):
So one one song I just found like two days ago,
and I'm and I'm like, every time I'm listening to that,
I'm amazed. It's something that just puts me into absolute,
you know, feeling of euphoria. Yes, yes, my English is
not rich enough to explore to explain that it's called
(24:37):
Sweet Symphony by Joy all of the Kun and Chris Stapleton.
So I'm a big, big Chris Stapleton guy.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
I love him, and you brought up the one type
of music that I don't listen to it all, So
now tribute to any of your.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
You can, you can turn me onto it.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
But yeah, you see, so yeah, the Chris Taple is
you should start. It's like a beginner level, for sure.
It's like the most famous thing him and Morgan walland
that's for sure. But he's like a mood music. Like
I love it so much. And I listened to a
lot of Daniel Scissor, I have some Gibeon, I have
(25:19):
some Noah Kahan have you heard of it? Also country,
it's a lot con Yeah, it's it's a little bit
sad country, you know, not a little bit. It's really
depressing sad country. And it doesn't mean I'm depressed.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
No, at what moments? What are you listening to before
a game?
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Oh? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Would you?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Would you listen to chill music?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Yes? Yes, like sometimes real sometimes I just need to,
like sometimes it's so overwhelming, so I need to like
just really like Okay, Yeah, how can I how can
I get like still right? And yeah, some of those
like country it's something that you know some sometimes country
for me, it's like neutral, it's not too happy and
(26:03):
not too sad. It's just good vibes and good it's
clean music. Right. It's I'm really religious too, so it's
important for me to really listen to something that is
clean and you know, not anticipating anything like bad right
that I don't want to hear. So those are kind
of my my lists. Yeah, I mean I dance. Would
(26:26):
you like if I dance?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Can you dance?
Speaker 3 (26:30):
I can't. That's definitely something that I would never do
in my life professionally because I'm not I'm I'm talented
in it. But you know, dance, I also believe dance
is like it's another fortum of art. You can dance
however you want exactly, and sometimes it helps. I believe
that it helps your your mood, like your mental state really,
(26:56):
like I really find I find it helpful to wake
up and then warning, like it's pretty embarrassing talking about
this right now, and you know, people are gonna people
gonna think I'm dancing in front of the mirror in
the morning, which I do, but never never thought I'm
gonna talk about that, but I think it's.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I think it's a wonderful thing. I actually do that.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Yeah, that's amazing. I mean, that's you know, that's something
that sometimes you just need to laugh at yourself.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Laugh, dance, sing, Can you sing?
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I cannot at all, And sometimes I do and I'm
just laughing at it. And it's and that's what brings
even bear mood to me. And I mean, that's how
I'm trying to start my day really just from laughing
things out right, and then the.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Day is bere or we're gonna I'm gonna bide to
all these things. I'm gonna manifest it to bring the
things you want.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
To sing, to dance exactly exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
I appreciate you so much your time, your journey, your story,
and we're thrilled to have you here in Brooklyn and
for for many more to come. We may bring you
back on the episode at some point.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Have you I would sing or dance or do some
other things.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
That's been another episode of Nextpod with Sarah Custock.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
You can find us anywhere you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Also make sure to check out Next Pod with Sarah
Phustock on the
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Next YouTube channel, and so next time we'll see the
Welcome into another edition of Netspod with Sarahkustack, presented by
a ticketmaster. I'm Sarahkustack, and I am extremely excited about
this episode.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yegor, gentlemen Jaeger, thanks for being here with us.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
A number eight overall pick, of course of the Brooklyn
Nets this past draft, part of that historic draft class
of five rookies in the first round. But first things first,
how is your welcome to Brooklyn been?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
It was amazing, I thought, you know, I was super
excited getting drafted here and obviously didn't need to fly
anywhere from the Draft knight. It was exciting. I was
already at the arena and it was great to see
who Brooklyn pick up after me, and it was it
was super exciting.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Before we get into that, because I want to dig
into draft night with you. You have an incredible story.
It's been a fun journey just watching you come into
the NBA. You're born in Moscow, Russia. You ended up
leaving when you were fifteen years old to go to
Real Madrid and play in Spain.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yep, fifteen, What was that like? There was an amazing
opportunity for me. I think that's the first thing, you know,
I was playing in Russia, kind of enjoying just the
journey right of basketball, never thinking of something big like
moving to other country alone, you know, to pursue my
(01:22):
kind of goals. Yeah, and then when the opportunity came,
it's something like, Okay, I have no choice at this
point because I love basketball so much and I want
to follow this path, right, And I thought it was
an amazing opportunity for me to get to play overseas,
overseas from Russia, right, and get to know this new
(01:46):
level of basketball, to get ready for something bigger.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
You talk about something bigger, but take me back even earlier.
You were from a basketball oriented family. Your dad played
professionally in Russia, your mom played, your brother, your older
brother played.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yes, yes, all my family played basketball. As you said,
my dad played professionally, he played in Russia several teams.
My mom played in high school. And they actually met
in high school. They were playing in there the same year,
so the same class. Yeah, yeah, so they they just
that's how they met, basically, right, And my brother also
(02:21):
played basketball.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
When do you feel like you first fell in love
with You talk about this passion and following this path,
but when do you feel like you first fell in
love with the game of basketball.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I think, well, it's actually kind of funny for me
now thinking about it, because I obviously get some stories
from my parents all the time that I don't really
remember now, right, And my mom would tell me like,
you never wanted to play basketball. I'm like, what do
you mean, Like that's you know, all our families in there.
How am I not wanting to be the same, right,
(02:56):
She's like, that's the reason. You just wanted to be different?
And she said there was a story when I said, Hey,
I don't want to play with my hands. I want
to be I want to I want to use my legs.
So I'm like, I'm going to go play soccer. Never
touched the soccer soccer ball end up being in basketball anyway, obviously,
because it just it was, you know, it was kind
(03:16):
of a mantra of this family. So and yeah, I
mean it became important for me very early, I believe,
because I was all around my brother and his team
and his assistant coach eventually became a head coach of
my team. So it kind of where it progresses a
(03:37):
lot at that point of my life.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Can you beat your brother now?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Definitely.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
When were you able to first beat him? What was that?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Like?
Speaker 2 (03:45):
What was that dynamic?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Like? We actually didn't play much one on one because
he's five years older than me and there was too
big of a gap. But then when I actually became
good to beat him, he stopped playing with me. Didn't
want it. Okay, he didn't want that smoke, So fair enough.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So take us.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
You're fifteen years old, you go to Spain, You're by yourself.
I assume this is the first time you're away from
your family, lived by yourself. What was the biggest adjustment
with that and being a pro I.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Think first of all the language. I kind of stepped
into it with my eyes closed, basically, you know, like
going to swim without knowing how to swim. Right. I
didn't know any English, any Spanish.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And you only spoke Russian.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
On the Russian on the Russian. And obviously it was
so stressful for my parents, probably more not probably definitely
more than for me, right, and my mom was like,
how are you gonna are you not nervous? Like, how
are you gonna speak with people? I'm like, well, figure
it out. At this point, basketball language is all the
same all over the world. Right. So as long as
(04:58):
I played basketball, I wasn't worrying about anything really else,
and I was confident that I'm going to figure out
all the things outside of the court.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Did you do your own laundry? Did you know how
to cook?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Well? I was lucky enough to be at the academy
where it was all taken care of and Real Madrid
did a great job, and they keep doing it with
their academy and raising kids and really just picking up
some talents from all over the world and bringing their
(05:33):
abilities right into the basketball live and making them even
better by taking care of some things that you know
would take the focus away from basketball.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
What would you describe your game to be.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
We see your game now, we know the vision you have,
the instincts, your passing ability, all that. Do you feel
like that was what your game was always predicated on.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
I've always been dedicated to the idea of being efficient,
no matter what it takes for me. And I could
tell I've always been super unselfish about my own statistics,
and at some point of my life it almost became
a problem because I would be too polite and too unselfish,
(06:22):
you know, and sometimes it's not helping to win a game, right,
sometimes you need to be a little bit of a
jerk and be more aggressive and the more selfish in
a healthy way of this world. Right, But I think
that's who I am, and that's how that's that's what
(06:43):
was my advantage, right growing up growing up in Russia,
And that's you know, thanks to my coach, my first coach,
who actually gave me a lot of chances to make
mistakes for those passes, right and develop my vision, develop
my kind of a basketball high Q. Right. That kind
of brings to the point where I am who I
(07:05):
am right now, right, So, and it got.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
You to the NBA. But first bring the me on.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
You decide that you want to come and come to
the States go to college. What made you decide One
that that was the next step for you in this chapter?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
And two that that because you were the first five
star recruit correct of that universary?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Yeah, So what made you decide that that was the
place and that was the step you wanted to take?
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Well, So when we finished our last when I finished
my last season in the Academy of Real Madrid, I
got a couple of options on the table. Obviously, the
first one was to go back to Russia and play professionally.
Another option was to stay in Real Madrid in the
first team, in the professional team, right they offered me,
(07:52):
and you know, but at this point you don't know
either I'm going to be in a team actually in
vitation or I'm going to go to somewhere else. But
they're going to have my rights and things like this.
So there's a lot of details in European contracts. And
the other option was obviously college, which for me, I'm like, okay,
(08:13):
that's probably not an option.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Why.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
I don't know. I just didn't feel like it. I
just didn't. I couldn't see myself. I couldn't mentionine myself
playing in college.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
The basketball part of the school part.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I think both. I was so happy finishing school in
Spain and I'm like, okay, I'm never going to study again.
I'm never going to study again. And I was. I
was super excited about it. You know, they were asking me,
are you you going to go to like to university
in Spain. I'm like, nope, I'm okay, I'm just going
to keep playing basketball, you know, and enjoying my free time.
(08:49):
But then analyzing all the good and bad I realized
that college is probably the best thing for me right
now for my development. And I wasn't trying to be
focused on the final result as much as a process.
Right And even though those other two options to play
(09:10):
professionally are looking like okay, oh, I'm getting a professional contract,
I'm becoming a grown man in basketball, right terms, but
college is like, okay, I gotta keep studying younger, younger players, right.
But that's what I thought was going to help me
the most, right. I didn't want to do too big
(09:32):
of a jump, so then I regret and probably have
to step back twice. Right. So we decided that with
my family that college is probably an option. But now
there is a choice of where I'm going to go.
And that was a hard work, not just me, especially
(09:54):
my parents. Right, they were working even more than me
understanding what is going to be the best place for
me to go play, to go leave, to go study.
And yeah, we end up finalizing it on three schools,
which were b y U, Illinois, and Arkansas. And yeah,
(10:18):
the process was super long, and we end up on
b y U.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
And you fell in love with school and studying.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
I honestly no, listen, that is it's such a like
impressive thing for my for myself, like when I got
to b Yu, so obviously you know, as I said,
there was a lot of work on understanding where I'm going, right,
and Koa Chiang was probably the main reason, not probably
definitely was the main reason of why I went there.
(10:47):
And then understanding that the what type of school by
U is and how many smart people came out of there. Uh,
such a business school they have, right, and all the
opportunities they get because of the approach and culture inside
(11:08):
of it. I just loved it so much. And you know,
their culture is I think really really main thing of
this place. I think it's very important for athletes to
be focused on what they have to be focused on
with some additions that are helping them to develop in
(11:29):
their lives, not just in the court, right, And I
thought BYU is going to be the perfect place for
me where I have no distractions from outside besides school,
which also was super flexible for the athletes, right, not
just me, but everybody, and everybody just wanted me to
(11:49):
succeed there even more than I wanted for myself probably right,
and for me it was just important even more important
for my parents that I was safe, and I even
if I wanted to go to party, it was hard
to find any parties there. So I think that's a
cool advantage of the school.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
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(12:30):
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Speaker 1 (12:37):
Slash Nets and then your season mock drafts start coming.
The NBA, I'm sure became more and more real in
your mind. So let's fast forward to New York to
Barkley Center to draft night. What was going through your
mind knowing that everything you had done, everything you'd work for,
like the strain that you had had was finally starting
(13:00):
to come in fruition.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah, and it's and it's such a special like thoughts
for me, Like every time I'm thinking about it, I'm
like I get these like butterflies, you know what I mean.
And even though it's already happened, right, but it's still
like I'm remembering being a kid who's like, there's an NBA,
but it's like it's there, It's it's no near here,
(13:24):
and how do I even like it's It was always
in my mind, but it never been a goal because
it just it was unreachable thing really, especially playing in
RUSSI obviously coming to Spain it kind of get me
closer to it. And when I start seeing some attention
from you know, the NB scouts or reporters, whatever it is,
(13:45):
the media, I'm like, okay, that's not a dream anymore.
It's a goal, right, And before that moment it was
only a dream. It was somewhere somewhere else, right, And
not many people reach there from Russia obviously, compared to
the American players and for the guys in high schools here,
(14:08):
it's like, okay, that's NBA. It's another step. For me,
it was like okay, if I reached there, it almost
like okay, my life is completed, obviously, But then when
I did complete it, it's it's like, Okay, that's actually
is another step, right, and now I need to set
bigger goals and have bigger dreams and really understand why
(14:28):
I'm here.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
For Before you get there, when you feel those feelings
and emotions, what stands out most about that day to you?
Speaker 3 (14:38):
The draft night? Yeah, just having my mom next to me,
you know, I wish I wish my dad was there too.
He couldn't make it because of the documents whatever, and
my brother, but you know, and it it was just
meaning a lot to me having some people that are
very important for me to be there with me, right
(14:59):
because it was also their dream for me. And it
was actually super emotional when I talked to my dad
and he was like, man, I was growing up in
your age dreaming about the NBA and about Draft night
as a player. But then there's a time of day
(15:19):
of his life where he had to kind of get
away from those thoughts already because he's like, well, I
got to give it up pretty much, right, he's too old.
He understands he can't really make it there anymore. And
then he had to focus on raising his family right
and making sure he's successful in life outside of basketball.
(15:42):
And then at this point he's like that dream came
back in just different shape of it. He's like, now
I want to I want to be in the draft night,
but for my son, not for myself anymore. And I
was like, that's that's pretty deep, Like that's think that's
important for me, you know, hearing from him that, and
(16:02):
I wish he was there because it was it was
such a big deal for him, but he was watching
live and yeah, his emotions were so much deeper than mine, honestly. Yeah,
And when I talked to him for the first time,
it was it was it was really cool, really exciting.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
You talk about next goals, What responsibility does that make
you feel or make you feel like you want to
have for then what your career may potentially become.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
You know, I don't want to. I don't like talking
about like responsibilities, right, And you know, somebody asks, is
there a pressure from your country, from your family, your friends?
There is always a pressure, right, and there's always some expectations.
But I feel like for me, it's very important to
find the right approach for dealing with it and really
(16:51):
just be focused on myself in a way of like Okay,
what how I feel right, staying healthy mentally, giving everything
I have to be ready to go on the court
and be the best version of myself right and set
my own goals, and if it takes time, it takes time, right.
(17:11):
Some people obviously want it to happen like this, and
do I want it? Of course, I want it to
be tomorrow right. But I also understand that it's not
always perfect, right, and there's now perfect days. Sometimes it's low,
sometimes it's high, And I just got to be ready
to stay focus on this path and really, you know,
(17:33):
follow these goals and dreams that I have.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Give us your perspective on hearing your name being called
drafted by the Brooklyn Nets and being a part of
this organization in this franchise that.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Was huge, you know. And for me it was a
lot of players, as I hear it from the past,
a lot of players players often they know where they
go before or they even get called, right, it was
not my situation. I didn't know where I'm gonna be at.
And I did so many workouts, well, not more than
(18:10):
some of the guys I've heard crazy stories with like
twenty five workouts pre draft. I did fourteen but because
I didn't know where exactly my range is right, And
at this point I'm like, well, whatever happens, you know,
I'm gonna try my best to be as good of
(18:31):
a player and as good of a person I can
be for that organization. And obviously, you know, hearing my
name called to Brooklyn Ats was like wow, Like that's
the place I actually wanted to be. And it's actually
a crazy story. I have a crazy story about it
because I was on the workout with them. It was
the early workout. It was my third workout. I think
(18:55):
I loved the all the organization so much on that
one workout and all the coaching stuff and front office,
and I talked to some of the coaches right and
I'm like, hey, I'm going to be back here. I'm like,
you know, I loved it here, guys, thank you so much,
but like I'm going to be back here. You know,
(19:18):
we're gonna wait for the moment I'm going to be back.
And then I forgot about it that I even said this,
and I never said it to anybody else. It was
just like whatever, Like I was just trying to express that,
you know, I would love to be back here. And
then after the draft. It was arfk RFK the coach,
and after the draft I came and the first time
(19:39):
I see him, he's like, man, you told me, you
told me you're going to be back here. And I'm like, oh,
this is true. Like that's and you know, I don't
like the word manifesting, but that's kind of what happened.
You know. I really was trying to project myself being
in the place where the place that is going to
be good for me right and the place that I'm
(20:01):
going to be good for where I'm needed, where I needed,
and the place that I need, and it happened. So
I was, I was. I was more than just happy,
that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Can you manifest some things for me.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
That Brooklyn itself, the community, the food, the place that
what what have you enjoyed most about Brooklyn itself as
a borough?
Speaker 3 (20:27):
It's I think everybody can tell that Brooklyn have such
a like cultural energy and the strength of community and
how much is important just to know streets right, to
know outside and really to know your fans, to know
people to talk to them. And for me it was
it's a big deal for me, you know, I want
(20:47):
to stay grounded and for me. The way to stay
grounded is just to go outside talk to people. And
you know, I, I how can I I can't even
really just explain this feeling. But I treat myself the
same as anybody else, right, And I never I say
to my family, if you ever feel like I'm treating
myself better than somebody, you gotta slap me or I
(21:10):
don't know, do something with it, because that's like my
biggest fear right to be to be out of the
ground a little bit. So that's very important to me.
And I think that's the perfect place to find new friends,
find new restaurants, right, new places to go and just
go for a walk. And that's what I've been doing.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
What's the favorite food.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I'm a big either, so I can't really tell what's
my one favorite food. But I've been in a lot
of places. I've been in Italian restaurants, some Asian food, steakhouses.
So I've been exploring pizza, pizza.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
Yes, yes, do you have a favorite pizza spot yet?
Speaker 3 (21:52):
So my first actually, my first pizza place in Brooklyn
was locally locally, right, Yeah, I've heard that's it's the
Brooklyn that spot. So we've been there actually, with the
team for the first time, so it was amazing.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Well done. Have you explored the streets just by foot?
You get out on bikes? Are we?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Are we a little bit?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
I mean I have a love yegor.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I just discovered city bikes last summer and now I
ride them everywhere.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Are you Do you follow the rules? Do you stay
in the bike pass?
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Oh? Definitely, you stop when I don't want to. I
don't want to get killed. That's why I gotta follow
the rules. So, especially New York, with all love and
respect to this place, it's it's pretty dangerous sometimes out there.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Has it been overwhelming to you at all?
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (22:38):
Sometimes just from the point of it never slips, like
it never was, the action and the motion never stops
really and a lot of sounds around, you know, especially
coming from Utah last year, from Provo, where there's a
point where it's everything is shot right, there's no sounds,
(22:58):
nothing is working. Sometimes it's frustrating, but at the same
time it's like, Okay, that's peaceful New York. It's never stops,
which is I mean, it's not good or bad, it's
just New York.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
We love it.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
It's hot, which brings us to hot ticket. You send
it by Ticketmaster. Experienced your nets live with Ticketmaster, the
official ticket marketplace of the Brooklyn Nets.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
So jegor are you a big music person?
Speaker 3 (23:25):
I would say, so, what are the.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Top five songs right now in your rotation? Either top
five most recent or top five I.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Can tell you the reacents. So I'm a really like
mood music person, if it's like I think at all, Yes,
Like I really like to have. I have all genres.
I don't stay to like rap on the or like
on the R and B. I listen kind of to everything.
(23:53):
And lately I've been so heavy on country.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Wow, okay, you didn't tell to pay.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
That put me on some country right. And I was
a beginner last year, but now I get deeper into it.
So I'm like, I'm like really excited about the people.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Tell the people the country songs, the top five country
songs you want to listen?
Speaker 3 (24:15):
So one one song I just found like two days ago,
and I'm and I'm like, every time I'm listening to that,
I'm amazed. It's something that just puts me into absolute,
you know, feeling of euphoria. Yes, yes, my English is
not rich enough to explore to explain that it's called
(24:37):
Sweet Symphony by Joy all of the Kun and Chris Stapleton.
So I'm a big, big Chris Stapleton guy.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
I love him, and you brought up the one type
of music that I don't listen to it all, So
now tribute to any of your.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
You can, you can turn me onto it.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
But yeah, you see, so yeah, the Chris Taple is
you should start. It's like a beginner level, for sure.
It's like the most famous thing him and Morgan walland
that's for sure. But he's like a mood music. Like
I love it so much. And I listened to a
lot of Daniel Scissor, I have some Gibeon, I have
(25:19):
some Noah Kahan have you heard of it? Also country,
it's a lot con Yeah, it's it's a little bit
sad country, you know, not a little bit. It's really
depressing sad country. And it doesn't mean I'm depressed.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
No, at what moments? What are you listening to before
a game?
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Oh? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Would you?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Would you listen to chill music?
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Yes? Yes, like sometimes real sometimes I just need to,
like sometimes it's so overwhelming, so I need to like
just really like Okay, Yeah, how can I how can
I get like still right? And yeah, some of those
like country it's something that you know some sometimes country
for me, it's like neutral, it's not too happy and
(26:03):
not too sad. It's just good vibes and good it's
clean music. Right. It's I'm really religious too, so it's
important for me to really listen to something that is
clean and you know, not anticipating anything like bad right
that I don't want to hear. So those are kind
of my my lists. Yeah, I mean I dance. Would
(26:26):
you like if I dance?
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Can you dance?
Speaker 3 (26:30):
I can't. That's definitely something that I would never do
in my life professionally because I'm not I'm I'm talented
in it. But you know, dance, I also believe dance
is like it's another fortum of art. You can dance
however you want exactly, and sometimes it helps. I believe
that it helps your your mood, like your mental state really,
(26:56):
like I really find I find it helpful to wake
up and then warning, like it's pretty embarrassing talking about
this right now, and you know, people are gonna people
gonna think I'm dancing in front of the mirror in
the morning, which I do, but never never thought I'm
gonna talk about that, but I think it's.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
I think it's a wonderful thing. I actually do that.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Yeah, that's amazing. I mean, that's you know, that's something
that sometimes you just need to laugh at yourself.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Laugh, dance, sing, Can you sing?
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I cannot at all, And sometimes I do and I'm
just laughing at it. And it's and that's what brings
even bear mood to me. And I mean, that's how
I'm trying to start my day really just from laughing
things out right, and then the.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Day is bere or we're gonna I'm gonna bide to
all these things. I'm gonna manifest it to bring the
things you want.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
To sing, to dance exactly exactly.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
I appreciate you so much your time, your journey, your story,
and we're thrilled to have you here in Brooklyn and
for for many more to come. We may bring you
back on the episode at some point.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
Have you I would sing or dance or do some
other things.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
That's been another episode of Nextpod with Sarah Custock.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
You can find us anywhere you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
Also make sure to check out Next Pod with Sarah
Phustock on the
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Next YouTube channel, and so next time we'll see the
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Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.