Karim López Nears Historic NBA Draft Milestone for Mexico
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HERMOSILLO, Mexico — At 18, New Zealand Breakers forward Karim López is closing in on a distinction no Mexican-born player has ever claimed: a first-round selection in the NBA draft. The 6-foot-9 prospect, projected to go inside the top 10 in 2026, spent a recent afternoon on the same concrete court where he learned the game, posing for photos with surprised passersby in his hometown just 300 miles south of Phoenix.
Rapid rise from Sonora to the NBL
López is beginning his second — and likely final — season in Australia’s National Basketball League, which opened in September. As part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, he follows a path that produced top-six NBA picks LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey and Alex Sarr. Last season he averaged 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 22.9 minutes, becoming the youngest player in league history to record a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against the Sydney Kings, and later notching his first 20-point game versus South East Melbourne Phoenix.
NBA talent evaluators have taken notice. Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum, father of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, called López’s blend of size and skill an “instant impact” package in the NBL. ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo added that teams “are constantly looking for tall perimeter players who can pass, handle and shoot,” placing López firmly in the modern mold and drawing occasional comparisons to Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
Only one Mexican-born draftee to date
Should the projections hold, López would eclipse the draft position of Eduardo Nájera, selected 38th overall by the Houston Rockets in 2000 and still the lone Mexican-born player ever drafted. Just four Mexico-born athletes have appeared in an NBA game, the most recent nearly a decade ago.
Basketball from day one
Born Apr. 12, 2007, López literally grew up around the sport. His father, Jesús Hiram López, missed the birth while finishing his senior season at NCAA Division II Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Missouri. Determined not to stay away again, Hiram spent his pro career in Mexican leagues, often bringing young Karim onto the floor during practices.
Early potential was evident but uneven, recalls youth coach Alejandro Leyva. A breakthrough came at age 12 during a Las Vegas tournament, followed a year later by viral dunk footage that alerted international scouts. In 2022, Spanish club Joventut Badalona signed the teenager; he won two youth titles and debuted professionally in 2023-24 before moving to Auckland.
Family on the move
Support has been a constant, even from afar. Last December, mother Claudia Mondaca and López’s younger sister flew to New Zealand for a brief holiday visit before returning to Mexico. “I hope he enjoys it all and gets accustomed to it, because it’s become a ritual for the family,” Mondaca said.
Eyes on 2026 — and LeBron
López acknowledges dreaming “about what could be” but tries to keep focus on the present. He does allow one wish: playing with or against his idol, LeBron James, if the four-time MVP is still in the league when López arrives.
For now, the rising star splits his time between modest crowds in Sonora and packed arenas in the NBL, one season away from the moment that could make him a household name on both sides of the border.
Source: ESPN
