Brooklyn Nets Rookies Respond to Challenges

On Friday, head coach Jordi Fernandez put rookies Egor Demin and Drake Powell on notice. The team announced acting coach Steve Hetzel on Sunday as Fernandez dealt with the flu.

In Fernandez’s absence, Demin and Powell staged a remarkable comeback, leading to a 127-82 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, something that would have made Fernandez proud. Hetzel certainly expressed his approval.

Hetzel commented, “I’m very, very proud. He challenged Egor, he challenged Drake, and both responded beautifully with an edge. This is another step in their progression.” He touched on how crucial it is in the NBA to quickly shake off a poor performance and move forward, something both players did quite well.

Earlier that Friday, Powell was deemed mentally unprepared by Fernandez, clocking just over two hours of play. Despite that, he bounced back impressively, scoring 13 points and achieving a game-high plus-31 rating.

Demin also had a tough outing in a previous game in Dallas but turned things around. Against the Bucks, he led the team with 17 points, shooting 6-of-8 and making several aggressive drives to the basket. His defensive effort didn’t go unnoticed either, with two steals and a block to his name.

Reflecting on the experience, Demin said, “It’s all a process. Obviously, you want to do well in every game, but sometimes you have those days.” He emphasized the importance of reviewing film and learning from mistakes before moving on to the next game. This perspective marks a new chapter for the teenager, who has faced few losses in his career at Real Madrid.

He recalled his experience in Spain: “In three years, we lost probably three games, so obviously it always hurt a lot. In college, I had to really start learning how to get over those bad games.” He stressed the importance of looking ahead to the next challenge, a lesson imparted by his coach, Kevin Young—”I have to go to the next game. We cannot leave what happened yesterday.”