Karim Lopez is now just over a month away from potentially making history as the first Mexican-born player ever selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
The 19-year-old forward is coming off an impressive season with the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL, where he capped off his two-year stint overseas by helping the organization win the Ignite Cup. After bypassing the NCAA route to develop professionally in Oceania, Lopez now finds himself firmly in the conversation as one of the most intriguing international prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft class.
And after this past week in Chicago, his draft stock may have risen even higher.
Lopez turned heads at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this past week with standout performances in both the athleticism and shooting drills, further solidifying himself as a legitimate lottery pick candidate ahead of next month’s draft. Multiple scouts and executives in attendance came away impressed not only with his physical tools and shooting ability, but also with the poise and maturity he displayed throughout the week.
During media availability, Lopez addressed several topics including his NBA player comparisons, his decision to play professionally overseas instead of in college basketball, and the responsibility that comes with being viewed as Mexico’s biggest NBA prospect ever in this draft class.
Player comparison
“I like to watch film on a lot of players,” Lopez said during his media session. “Jalen Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks is someone I like to study, but I take little nods from multiple players and then implement them into my game.”
The Mexican prospect also revealed that he received significant interest from several NCAA programs before ultimately deciding to begin his professional career in New Zealand.
“I had a lot of interest from multiple schools prior to my first and second year overseas,” Lopez explained. “Those ideas were good and Duke is a program I really liked. My dad had conversations with Coach Jon Scheyer, but it didn’t happen… maybe in another lifetime.”
Composure under draft pressure
While many young prospects struggle under the pressure and expectations surrounding the pre-draft process, Lopez continues to show a level of composure that has impressed NBA organizations throughout the year.
“It’s an honor for me to represent Mexico at this stage,” Lopez said. “I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from multiple organizations. Looking forward to keep going with the pre-draft process.”
Lottery projection and Warriors interest
With the draft approaching quickly, Lopez’s momentum continues to build. Multiple mock drafts currently project him as a potential lottery selection, with some linking him to the Golden State Warriors at No. 11 overall. NBA insider Marc Spears recently reported that the Warriors are “intrigued” by the Mexican forward as they continue evaluating prospects ahead of draft night.
Whether it’s Golden State or another organization, Karim Lopez is positioning himself to become one of the biggest stories of the 2026 NBA Draft — not only for Mexico, but for the growing international basketball community as a whole.
