Karim Lopez, Mexican Basketball Star, Enters NBA Draft
Karim Lopez has officially declared for the 2026 NBA draft, aiming to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing in the league. The talented forward is currently ranked No. 11 by ESPN.
Karim Lopez, a promising basketball talent from Mexico, has announced his intention to enter the 2026 NBA draft, as reported to ESPN on Monday.
Ranked No. 11 on ESPN's draft board, Lopez has spent the last two seasons playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).
"It's been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA," Lopez shared with ESPN. "Honestly, since I can remember. I was probably like 5 years old, making drawings of myself playing in the NBA. ... It's pretty special, you know, to be in this position right now."
Turning 19 on April 12, Lopez averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 49% from the field this season over 25.6 minutes per game. Standing at 6-foot-9, he possesses perimeter skills and set multiple records for draft-eligible NBL Next Stars, including a single-season points record with a total of 358 points across 30 starts. He also matched the record for total steals and blocks with 66, previously set by 2025 draftee Alex Toohey.
Despite the Breakers finishing the season with a 14-20 record, they clinched the NBL's inaugural Ignite Cup in February, in which Lopez played a significant role on a veteran-led roster. After recovering from a back injury the previous summer, he made significant progress in his second season, highlighted by a standout 32-point game in a January 30 victory over Melbourne.
Lopez reflected on his time in the NBL, stating, "[The NBL] was a lot of learning in both years, a great chapter of my life. I think once I was completely healthy, [this season] took off in the right direction. Obviously, I would have liked to make the playoffs, but winning the Ignite Cup was big time. I'm really happy about the experience I gained, all the preparation."
NBA scouts have taken notice of Lopez's impressive combination of size, skill, and toughness. His 7-1 wingspan, ball-handling abilities, playmaking potential, and overall toughness are attributes that NBA teams highly value. However, he acknowledges that he needs to improve his perimeter shooting and physical explosiveness as he approaches the predraft process.
"I want to show NBA teams who I am," Lopez said. "Playing in a grown man league, it's not easy. But there's things I feel like people haven't seen yet."
As the highest-ranked international prospect on ESPN's draft list, Lopez is projected to make history as the first player born in Mexico to be selected in the NBA draft's first round. His father, Jesús Hiram Lopez, is a former player for the Mexican national team. At the age of 14, Lopez moved to Spain to join the Spanish club Joventut Badalona before signing with the Breakers in 2024.
"A goal of mine is to hopefully reach young people in Mexico," Lopez stated. "Trying to grow the sport and inspire athletes and people in general to follow their dreams. Show people that it doesn't matter where you're from."
The NBA draft combine is scheduled to take place from May 10-17 in Chicago, with the draft itself occurring in late June.