Top International Prospect Karim Lopez Enters 2026 NBA Draft
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Forward Karim Lopez, ranked No. 11 on ESPN’s latest draft board, has officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, according to reports from ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Shams Charania.
The 19-year-old, widely viewed as the top international player in the class, could become the first Mexico-born athlete ever selected in the first round. “It’s been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA,” Lopez said. “I was probably five years old, making drawings of myself playing in the NBA. It’s pretty special to be in this position right now.”
Lopez spent the past two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL). This year he averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and shot 49 percent from the field in 25.6 minutes per game. His 358 total points set a record for draft-eligible NBL Next Stars, highlighted by a 32-point performance in late January.
Scouts cite his 6-foot-9 frame, 7-foot-1 wingspan and developing playmaking skills as key strengths. “Playing in a grown-man league isn’t easy, but there are things I feel like people haven’t seen yet,” Lopez said.
Source: Hoops Wire
