As the Mavericks wrap up their trip to Mexico City to play the Pistons on Día de los Muertos. This is a great opportunity to check in on one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft, Mexico’s own Karim López.

López is an 18-year-old, 6’9 220-pound prospect playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). López is part of the Next Stars program in the NBL, a proven pathway for NBA prospects to develop on their way to the NBA Draft. The Next Stars program has developed players like LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddy, and Alex Sarr. López, who entered the year projected as a top ten pick in the 2026 NBA draft, has fallen lately to late in the first round on some boards in the loaded 2026 Draft.

The Mexican-born López is already a staple on the inte

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