Potential Lottery Pick Karim Lopez Enters 2026 NBA Draft
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Karim Lopez, projected as a potential lottery selection, has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Shams Charania.
The 19-year-old forward is listed at No. 11 on ESPN’s latest big board, making him the outlet’s top international prospect. Lopez spent the past two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL).
At 6’9” with a 7’1” wingspan, the Mexico native averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and shot 49% from the field in 25.6 minutes per game this season. His 358 points across 30 starts established a new single-season scoring record for draft-eligible NBL Next Stars.
Lopez’s sophomore campaign included a 32-point performance in a Jan. 30 victory over Melbourne. NBA evaluators, ESPN reports, have been impressed by his positional size, ball-handling, playmaking flashes and competitive edge.
If selected in the first round, Lopez would become the first player born in Mexico to achieve that milestone. “It’s been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA,” he said. “Playing in a grown-man league, it’s not easy. But there are things I feel like people haven’t seen yet.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
