Mexican teen prodigy Karim Lopez moves closer to NBA dream

For as long as he can remember, Karim Lopez has dreamed of playing in the National Basketball Association. That dream prompted him to leave his native Mexico at 14 years old to hone his craft in Spain for two years before he went to New Zealand to play professionally in hopes of being ready for the 2026 NBA Draft. 

Lopez got one step closer to his NBA dreams on Monday when the native of Hermosillo, Sonora, declared for the NBA Draft. Barring some unforeseen circumstances, the 6-foot-8 forward is likely to become the first Mexican-born player drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft. 

“Playing against NBA players has obviously always been my dream since I was a kid, just making it to the NBA,” he told Our Esquina in October 2024.

At 17, Karim Lopez is already billed as a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
We asked the Mexican phenom who he would invite for a dinner of Mexican sports stars.
How much would you pay to join these legends? 🇲🇽 #Mexico @jaquez_jr @CH14_ @hugosanchez_9 @Canelo pic.twitter.com/dH3HTQ19HR

— Our Esquina (@OurEsquina) October 17, 2024

ESPN rates Lopez as the 11th best prospect in the 2026 draft. Lopez, who won’t celebrate his 19th birthday until April 12, is the son of former Mexican national basketball team player Jesus Hiram Lopez. 

He averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2 assists per game for the NBL Next Stars in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) last season. Prior to the NBL, Lopez spent two years competing for club Joventut Badalona in Spain. 

Karim Lopez takes next step

“That was definitely a big challenge for me,” Lopez said of leaving Mexico and moving to Spain at the age of 14. “Just being away from my family, being away from my country, my friends, the people I’ve known for all my life.

“But I’ve always had a dream. I always had a goal. I understood that was part of the process.”

His sacrifices have paid off. Karim Lopez will be the fifth Mexican-born athlete to ever play in the NBA.

He’ll follow Eduardo Najera, Gustavo Ayon, Jorge Gutierrez and Horacio Llamas Grey. Notable Mexican American players in the league today are the Heats’ Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the Suns’ perennial All-Star Devin Booker. 

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Lopez’s success might have a reverberating impact in Mexico, where soccer is still king and baseball is thriving. If he remains healthy, Karim Lopez will be a cornerstone player for the Mexican men’s national basketball team in international competition, FIBA and Olympic Games.

Similar to what Major League Baseball saw after Fernando Valenzuela debuted in 1980 and captivated the country in 1981, the popularity of the NBA might drastically increase in Mexico as people follow Lopez’s career.

University and NBA scouts will more closely follow Mexican youth basketball for emerging talent. A generation of Mexican youth basketball players will have a paisano to emulate. Lopez is already embracing the influence he will have on his community. 

Mexican trailblazer

When asked to pick a dream dinner group of Mexican athletic greats, Lopez gave insight into his dreams. He mentioned Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, the Mexican men’s national soccer team’s all-time leading scorer who was the first Mexican to play for iconic Manchester United.

Then Lopez added boxing great Canelo, legendary Real Madrid forward Hugo Sanchez, Jaquez and Najera. Few if any Mexican fans would rate Najera along with Chicharito, Canelo and Sanchez, the only Mexican to win a scoring title in Spain’s La Liga.

Yet, Najera is the man who helped blaze a path that has Lopez set to make history. In the future, Karim Lopez could be one of the names young Mexican athletes mention alongside Hugo Sanchez, Canelo and Chicharito.

“A goal of mine is to hopefully reach young people in Mexico,” Lopez told Our Esquina. “Show people that it doesn’t matter where you’re from.”