Former NBL Next Star Karim Lopez created history at the 2026 NBA Draft, when he became the first-ever Mexican-born player to be selected in the first round.

While he left his homeland at the age of 14 to chase his basketball dream, playing in both Spain with Joventut Badalona and the NBL with New Zealand, Mexico will always hold a special place in the 19-year-old's heart, who just signed a multi-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Not only that, Lopez appreciates how important his upbringing was in Hermosillo, which he hopes can pave the way to many others to follow in his footsteps.

"It [the NBA] is what I've worked for my entire life. From that moment [playing for Mexico's youth systems], I knew I wanted to be here, that this was always the goal. It feels great to see all the hard work pay off," Lopez said to FIBA Americas.

"It's an incredible honour to represent my country and my culture. To carry them with me wherever I go. It's an amazing feeling. And it's also special to represent the entire Latino community, especially in the NBA. Even though there are more and more of us, there still aren't many Latino players.

"I'd tell them [any young, aspiring players] that if they want something and they have a dream, they should chase it. It doesn't matter what anyone says. If you believe in something and you're willing to put in the hard work and dedication, I'm convinced you can achieve it, no matter who you are."

Lopez, who helped New Zealand win the Inaugural Ignite Cup last season, averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game during the Hungry Jack's NBL26 Season, making him the highest-scoring draft-eligible Next Star in the program's history.

Following Lopez's selection, the Next Stars program has seen seven players drafted in the first round across the last seven NBA Drafts, including LaMelo Ball (2020), Josh Giddey (2021), Ousmane Dieng (2022) and Alex Sarr (2024), all being selected inside the lottery.

Read the full story here >> Karim Lopez embraces NBA dream after making history for Mexican basketball