In 20 days, Egor Demin will hear his name called in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
It will be an amalgamation of years of hard work that took him to every corner of the globe, and ultimately, to the highest level of basketball in the world.
But in what should be a celebratory moment for the 19-year-old former BYU point guard, a giant cloud will be looming near him.
On Tuesday, the Moscow Times reported that Demin's home country, Russia, listed Brigham Young University as an "undesirable" organization. According to Russian law, individuals affiliated with undesirable organizations can face up to four years in prison, while organization leaders could face six.
BYU's name will always be tied to Demin no matter what. You can't erase history. But depending on the future of this Russia-BYU situation, Demin's affiliation with the university — and his country — could be drastically changed.
What is the "undesirable" list and how did BYU end up on it?
When news broke of Russia's move to blacklist BYU on Wednesday, Jeff Hardy was stunned.
"Complete shock. This appeared to come out of nowhere," Hardy said. "We were all stunned."
Hardy is a professor of history at BYU, specializing in the history of the Soviet Union. He served his two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Russia, and has been to the country multiple times over the years.
When Hardy read the Moscow Times article, he was left wondering "what could BYU have done to draw the ire of the Putin regime?"
In 2015, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed the Russian undesirable organizations law, which allowed Russian prosecutors to go after any organizations they believed to be a threat to the security of the state. Anyone with deep ties to these organizations could face years in prison.
Most of these organizations are human rights groups that directly oppose Russian policies. BYU sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the 232 groups found on the list.
Of the 232 organizations, BYU is only the second American-based university on the list. Bard College, a private liberal-arts college in upstate New York, was added to the list in 2021 after billionaire George Soros planned to "launch a global university to fight authoritarian governments and climate change through a partnership" with the school, as reported by the Moscow Times.
You can understand why Hardy and colleagues were befuddled when this news dropped.
Neither the Russian government nor BYU have put out statements on why this may have happened, but this can possibly be traced back to a discussion at BYU's David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies led by U.S. deputy assistant Secretary of State, Sonata Coulter, called "Russia as a Global Threat," that was held on Feb. 6.
While there seems to be a clear link between this event on BYU's campus and Russia's decision to blacklist the university, it is worth noting that Utah Valley University held the exact same discussion with Sonata Coulter the day after. Panels, discussions and seminars like this are not uncommon at American universities.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not found itself on the list, so it is unclear if BYU's religious affiliation had much to do with this move.
In the ten years that this law has been in effect, no organization has been removed from the list.
"I don't even know what the process would look like to do that," Hardy said.
What could this mean for Egor Demin, people with BYU ties?
With this development being so recent and more information still to come, much of the discussion on Demin's future relationship with BYU and Russia has been speculation.
When asked about the topic by The Daily Universe, Demin's agency said they would pass on giving a statement, saying they don't want to get involved in "political discussions" at any time.
Demin was likely just as bewildered by the news as most of the general public.
According to most anonymous sources given to The Daily Universe, as long as Demin does not criticize Putin or the Russian government, he should be fine. If he keeps his head down and puts the ball in the basket, he will likely be able to return to his country, regardless of his affiliation with the Cougars.
Keep in mind, until there is more information released by the Russian government, the above statement about Demin's future is speculation.
"The law is really vague," Hardy said. "Somebody like me, a professor at BYU, it would not be a good idea to travel to Russia, because of my affiliation ... former students I don't think will have any problems, but it's one of those things where if [the Russian government] finds something you've done offensive, they could then start digging into your biography, your profile, and that could provide some fodder for a court case and prosecution."
Hardy was quick to note that, once again, this is speculation.
Last academic school year, there were six undergraduate and three graduate students from Russia at BYU. When asked if any of these students — not including Demin — would be returning to BYU for the Fall 2025 semester, BYU International Students and Scholars Services did not respond.
What is next for Egor Demin?
Demin hasn't shown any sign that he is going to distance himself in the days following BYU's blacklisting. He still has "@byumbb" listed in his Instagram bio, and if nothing changes, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will say the three letters "B-Y-U" after he reads Demin's name in the draft on June 25.
During his press conference in which he announced his plans to enter the NBA Draft in April, Demin had the highest praise for not only the Cougar basketball program, but the university as a whole. He even stated later that day on BYU Sports Nation on BYUtv that he is planning on getting his degree from BYU in the future.
"I am planning to finish school here," Demin said in April. "Maybe I will keep studying for these next three years online, or I will comeback one day like Steph Curry did and finish it here ... you're gonna see my face here many times I bet."
He also noted how his faith and testimony have grown during his time in Provo.
"I was coming here with faith, and I am leaving here with a bigger faith and stronger faith in God, and that good can happen if you believe and pray. If you're dedicated to the Lord and you trust him ... he has a plan for all of us," Demin said.
It's hard to imagine Demin ever distancing himself from BYU, as he so visibly cares about the university.
The public likely won't know what the future looks like until the draft.
Will Commissioner Silver say "BYU?" How much will he talk about the Cougars and his time in Provo during press conferences? Will he ever discuss openly his thoughts on his native country blacklisting his beloved American university?
Only time will tell.