Karim Lopez has never lacked flair, but it was his scoring output that quietly set him apart from previous Next Stars during his time in the Hungry Jack’s NBL.

The numbers tell the story.

Lopez set the single-season scoring record for NBA Draft-eligible players in the NBL, surpassing the likes of Josh Giddey, LaMelo Ball and Alex Sarr.

In his second season with the New Zealand Breakers, the Mexican star scored 358 points, averaging nearly 12 points per game as an 18-year-old competing against bigger, more experienced opponents.

“I think it's just part of the game, right? Whoever gets the most points wins, right? So you’ve got to get points on the board and I feel like that's something I can do for sure,” Lopez said in an interview with the NBA.

Lopez is now on the verge of making history as the first Mexican player selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, with many experts projecting him as a potential Lottery pick. If selected, he would become the 12th NBL Next Star drafted directly from the NBL since 2020.

“I was 17 at the time (when joining the NBL). I was looking for new opportunities, something that would make me better as a player and person,” he said of his decision to join the League.

“I felt like … that was the biggest part of me, right? Development, and something that would get me ready for this. I feel like it was, it was great for me.

“I felt like it was the right choice, and I feel like it definitely did what I thought it was going to do for me.”

Lopez and Malique Lewis are both in contention to hear their names called at this year’s NBA Draft, continuing the remarkable success of the NBL’s Next Stars program.

“It got me ready playing in the NBL, a League that’s a pretty similar game style to the NBA,” Lopez added.

Watch the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday at 10am AEST on ESPN.