When Karim Lopez and Malique Lewis heard their names called in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Mexican and Trinidadian further cemented the NBL Next Stars program as one of the world's most productive pathways for young basketball prospects.

Lopez became the latest Next Star to be picked in the first round when the Memphis Grizzlies picked him with the 21st overall selection, adding to the program's remarkable record of seven first round picks.

“I think it’s now eight Next Stars drafted in the last three years,” Pete Hooley said on NBL Marketplace, presented by Paywise.

“Which if you go back and look at all the numbers … there’s only been one high major college program who has done that and that’s Duke University.”

The numbers back it up. Duke, the NCAA powerhouse that made history last year with five draft selections, has had 10 players drafted across the same three year period.

“I know it’s a program and Duke is one university, but this is the pathway now. You look at these guys; Malique Lewis’ numbers aren’t the same as someone who went to Duke and got drafted in the first round,” Hooley said.

“He’s someone who entered the NBL as one player, showed tremendous growth over a couple of years, continued to put in the work, went to Treviso for Eurocamp and then all of a sudden someone’s going to take a chance on you.

“It’s a credit to him and it’s a credit to the (Next Stars) program.”

The University of Kentucky has had seven players selected across the past three drafts, while UConn has had six. Both the Arizona Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers have each produced five draft picks during that span.

The University of Michigan, which won the national championship this past collegiate season, had three players selected within four picks of each other in this year's draft, adding to the one player it had drafted in 2025.

When LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey were taken with top selections several years ago, the Next Stars program announced itself on the global stage, with NBA scouts closely following the development of prospects competing in one of the world's strongest leagues.

While every player follows their own path after being drafted, the growth and development they experience during their time in the NBL cannot be overstated.

Alex Sarr, who became the highest drafted Next Star when the Washington Wizards selected him with the second pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has quickly developed into one of the league's premier defensive big men.

Then there are second round success stories like Ariel Hukporti, who not only earned a fully guaranteed contract with the New York Knicks but also became a valuable contributor to their championship winning team this past season and has since signed with Philadelphia.

The Next Stars program was created to provide an alternative pathway. Less than a decade later, it has become one of basketball's most trusted production lines to the NBA.