'Super blessed': Karim López makes NBA history as first Mexican-born first-round draft pick - BERITAJA

Until Tuesday night, only 1 Mexican-born subordinate had been an NBA draught pick. Eduardo Nájera was selected 38th wide successful the 2nd information by the Houston Rockets successful 2000 and enjoyed a 12-year profession arsenic a backup guardant pinch 5 teams.

Karim López joined him erstwhile the Detroit Pistons snapped him up astatine No. 21, making him the first Mexican-born first-round draught selection.

Lopez donned the Pistons’ headdress handed to him by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, past was instantly traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.

López, a 19-year-old 6-foot-9 forward, became affectional erstwhile Silver announced the pick. He sobbed beneath the cap.

“It’s conscionable ace special,” he said. “I’m blessed. I mean, I person nary words.”

Born successful Hermosillo successful the Mexican authorities of Sonora, López joined the prestigious Joventut Badalona younker academy successful Badalona, Spain, astatine property 14 to accelerate his development. The academy counts erstwhile NBA players Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernández and Raül López among its alumni.

During his post-draft tv interview, he displayed a civilization creation wrong his suit jacket: Mexico’s tricolor flag.

“I conscionable wanted to correspond my culture, correspond wherever I’m from, correspond my faith, and conscionable correspond myself, basically,” López said. “Show who I am.”

Memphis intelligibly targeted López while adroitly obtaining 5 second-round picks successful the process. They received 3 picks from the Pistons and 2 from the Oklahoma City Thunder successful return for moving backmost from the No. 16 draught position.

Whether López fulfills his imaginable and becomes the 5th Mexican-born subordinate to return the tribunal pinch an NBA squad remains to beryllium seen. Reviews are mixed.

Draft experts John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie of the Athletic differed successful their evaluation, pinch Hollinger giving the prime a thumbs-up while Vecenie expressed reservations.

“I had Karim López rated rather a spot higher than [the No. 21 pick] and was amazed to spot him descent this far,” Hollinger wrote, giving the prime an “A” people partially because the Grizzlies besides collected the 5 second-round picks.

Vecenie pointed retired that López doesn’t sprout good and has protect deficiencies, saying that his crippled mightiness beryllium amended suited for European leagues than the NBA.

“I’m not judge really he gets connected an NBA tribunal early successful his career,” he wrote. “I emotion his framework and physicality. I emotion that he rebounds and attacks pinch aggression. But I’m not judge he’s bully capable without the shot to make an early effect successful the NBA.”

Should López make the Grizzlies’ roster, he would subordinate Horacio Llamas, Gustavo Ayón, Jorge Gutiérrez and Nájera arsenic the only NBA players calved successful Mexico.

“It intends a batch to me,” Lopez said. “It’s conscionable a awesome opportunity for maine and my state to person this level and person this opportunity. So ace blessed and decidedly return it pinch a batch of pride.”

Noteworthy NBA players of Mexican descent calved successful the United States see erstwhile UCLA standout Jaime Jaquez Jr. and erstwhile Lakers reserve Juan Toscano-Anderson.

Jaquez averaged 15.4 points a crippled successful 2025-2026, his 3rd play pinch the Miami Heat. Toscano-Anderson played 5 seasons successful the NBA — including winning a title pinch the Golden State Warriors successful 2022 — and now is pinch Pallacanestro Trieste of the apical Italian league.
López is already a seasoned of world basketball, having spent the past 2 seasons pinch the New Zealand Breakers successful Australia’s apical pro league. He averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds past season.

He will subordinate No. 3 wide prime Cameron Boozer pinch the Grizzlies, who are rebuilding aft finishing 25-57 and 13th successful the Western Conference past season.

“A extremity of excavation is to hopefully scope young group successful Mexico,” Lopez told ESPN successful March erstwhile he declared for the draft. “Trying to turn the athletics and animate athletes and group successful wide to travel their dreams. Show group that it doesn’t matter wherever you’re from.”