How Mexican-born Karim Lopez made NBA Draft history in 2026 by becoming first-round selection originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The NBA Draft is full of big names, but a lesser-known prospect made some special history Tuesday night.
Karim Lopez heard his name called in the first round, becoming a pioneer for Mexican basketball. The 18-year-old spent his childhood in Mexico before moving overseas as a teenager to begin his professional career.
The NBA has not featured many Mexican players, which is why Lopez’s decision to enter the draft was such a significant moment. Here’s a look at the history Lopez made Tuesday night.
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How Karim Lopez made Mexican NBA history
Lopez became the first Mexican-born player selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when the Memphis Grizzlies chose him with the No. 21 overall pick. Memphis acquired the selection after trading back with the Detroit Pistons, who originally owned the pick.
Lopez was born in Hermosillo, Mexico, but developed professionally overseas in preparation for the NBA. He spent one season in Spain before playing the past two years in New Zealand ahead of entering the 2026 NBA Draft.
At the NBA Draft in New York, Lopez is representing his heritage through his suit.
Karim López could become the first Mexican-born player to be picked in the first round of the NBA draft 🇲🇽👏 pic.twitter.com/7cmmJKJWz4
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 23, 2026
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Karim Lopez fit with Grizzlies
Lopez spent the past two seasons playing in New Zealand’s National Basketball League and is coming off a career-best campaign in 2025-26. He appeared in 31 games last season, averaging 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game.
In the NBA, Lopez is expected to provide strong defense and perimeter shooting. The 6-foot-9 wing shot 32.6 percent from 3-point range in New Zealand last season, though he still has room to develop the rest of his game. For now, Lopez slots in behind fellow rookie Cam Boozer and forward Cedric Coward on the Grizzlies’ depth chart.
History of Mexicans in NBA Draft
Prior to Lopez, only once in NBA history was a Mexican-born player drafted in the NBA, as Eduardo Najera was taken in the 2000 second round, No. 38 overall, by the Houston Rockets, but was later traded to the Dallas Mavericks that night. Besides Najera and Lopez, every other Mexican-born player to play in the NBA went undrafted.
Horacio Llamas was the first Mexican to play in the NBA, as he went undrafted in 1996 and later signed with the Phoenix Suns. Gustavo Ayon and Jorge Gutierrez both went undrafted in 2007 and 2012, respectively, and it took a few years before they made their NBA debuts.
There is a notable Mexican-American player who was a first round picks in the draft, as the Miami Heat took Jaime Jacquez Jr. with pick No. 18 in 2023. Additionally, Juan Toscano-Anderson went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft. However, both Jacquez and Toscano-Anderson were born in California.
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