Potential lottery pick Karim Lopez has declared for this year’s draft, Jeremy Woo and Shams Charania of ESPN report.
Lopex is ranked No. 11 on ESPN’s big board. The Mexican native has spent the past two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL.
He’s the top-ranked international prospect on ESPN’s draft rankings and could become the first player born in Mexico to be selected in the first round.
“It’s been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA,” Lopez said. “Honestly, since I can remember. I was probably like 5 years old, making drawings of myself playing in the NBA. … It’s pretty special, you know, to be in this position right now.”
Lopez, 19, averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 49% shooting from the field this season in 25.6 minutes per game. A 6’9” forward set several records for draft-eligible NBL Next Stars, including the single-season points record with 358 in his 30 starts.
Lopez took a step forward in his second NBL season, including a 32-point game in a Jan. 30 win over Melbourne. NBA scouts have been drawn to Lopez’s combination of positional size, 7’1” wingspan, ball skills, playmaking flashes and toughness, according to the ESPN duo.
“I want to show NBA teams who I am,” Lopez said. “Playing in a grown man league, it’s not easy. But there’s things I feel like people haven’t seen yet.”
He is a huge talent – the top 15 spots in this draft are going to produce high-end rotation guys, the first half of this draft is loaded!
I could see Okc maybe taking if he is cool as a stash pick.