Hugo Gonzalez and Egor Demin grew up together, honing their craft within Real Madrid's elite infrastructure. When the latter arrived, the former was already viewed as a star on the rise. And while Gonzalez was from Madrid, Demin moved there from Russia. He barely spoke English and did not speak Spanish. Luckily for the Moscow native, he had a teammate who cared enough to solve that problem for him.
Before the Boston Celtics' 148-111 victory vs. the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night at TD Garden, Demin reflected upon his time with Gonzalez at Real Madrid.
"I met him in the first practice," said Demin, per CLNS Media. "He actually was the one who kind of took me under his wing, with like translating what the coaches were saying, because coaches would talk to us in Spanish. Our directors would talk to us in Spanish only, to kind of encourage us to learn it fast. So, he helped so much from the first moment to adjust to the culture, language, and all that stuff."
It's an incredible display of leadership and selflessness by Gonzalez. He went as far as to move into the dorms at Los Blancos, where the two became roommates. Living there allowed Boston's rookie wing to practice in the mornings with his international teammates who had migrated to play for Real Madrid.
It was a decision that captured the burning desire that fuels Gonzalez. The last thing he wants to do is look back on his career with regret.
Hugo Gonzalez has always been a madman on the court
The Celtics' rookie plays with a high-octane engine. His motor never stops. Whether it's having the stamina and fortitude to never fatigue during extended shifts or his willingness to put his body on the line to make a play, Gonzalez pours his all into every second he's on the floor.
It should come as no surprise that he has always operated in that way.
"I want to say, like, careless effort, meaning in a good way, of this word, meaning he doesn't care to be hurt, which, I mean, it's almost like he's kind of crazy a little bit about it, right? He just goes, he doesn't care about getting hurt," said Demin.
The eighth-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft recalled a prime example of that reckless abandon Gonzalez plays with.
"One of the tournaments in Spain, he went to dunk on someone, and we're winning by like 50 points, and he went on trying to dunk on somebody, and fell on his back so hard that people were scared if he's ok, and I'm like, 'Bro, why are you doing that? We're literally winning by 50.' But that's his personality. He would never -- it doesn't matter for him."
It's an anecdote that captures the drive that has propelled Gonzalez to the NBA and into becoming a part of the rotation of an NBA title contender in his rookie year with the Celtics.