A little over one month remains until NBL Next Star Karim Lopez potentially gets to live out his dream at the 2026 NBA Draft.

Ever since progressing through the ranks in Mexico, Lopez has been one of the most highly-touted players his age in the world.

After leaving Mexico, Lopez spent time in Spain with Joventut Badalona in 2024 before joining the Next Stars program and the New Zealand Breakers for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Hungry Jack’s NBL Seasons.

During his time in the NBL, Lopez helped the Breakers win the first-ever Ignite Cup Final, while averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in NBL26, while shooting 49 per cent from the field.

Since those 56 appearances for the Breakers, the 19-year-old forward has shone at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine.

All this has seen Lopez slated at pick 9 to Dallas and pick 11 to Golden State, respectively, in Yahoo and ESPN’s latest mock Drafts.

Before looking ahead to what could be next, Lopez reflected on how impactful the NBL has been on his career during the media availability at the NBA Combine.

“It [the NBL] prepared me really well [for the NBA],” Lopez said at the NBA Combine.

“It's a very fast-paced league, it's a really physical league, and it's a League with great talent.

“[There’s] a lot of great players that have been in the NBA before, a lot of NBA vets, that are coming over [to the League]. Some NBA champions and players who are going to be in the NBA soon.

“It's a really high level, and the similarities in style of play have prepared me really well, and I’m excited.”

The excitement around Lopez isn’t contained just to himself, with ESPN’s Marc J. Spears saying Lopez has ‘shades’ of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen to his game.

The Next Stars program has seen six players drafted in the first round across the last six NBA drafts, including LaMelo Ball (2020), Josh Giddey (2021), Ousmane Dieng (2022) and Alex Sarr (2024), all being selected inside the lottery.