Karim López
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 April 2007 Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 2024–present |
| Position | Small forward |
| Career history | |
| 2024 | Joventut Badalona |
| 2024–2026 | New Zealand Breakers |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Karim Hiram López Mondaca (born 12 April 2007) is a Mexican professional basketball player who last played for the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).
Early life
López was born on 12 April 2007, in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.[1][2] His father, Jesús Hiram López, played for the Mexico national basketball team.[3] After first trying out soccer and taekwondo, he began playing basketball from a young age.[2] He began training seriously for basketball at age 12 with the encouragement of his father, and was able to play against players up to five years older than him and still "held his own".[4] At the age of 14, he received an offer to play professionally in Spain for the club Joventut Badalona, and left his family to move there.[4]
Professional career
López played two seasons for Joventut Badalona's "B" team, from 2022 to 2024.[4] He was promoted to the senior squad in 2024 and appeared in four games during the 2023–24 season, scoring two points.[1][4] After the 2023–24 season, he left Joventut and signed with the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) in August 2024 as a Next Star.[5] He impressed for the Breakers, becoming the youngest player in NBL history to record a double-double that October.[6] Appearing in 25 games during the 2024–25 season, he averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds.[1]
On 30 January 2026, López scored a career-high 32 points in the Breakers' 97–95 win over Melbourne United.[7] In the 2025–26 NBL season, the Breakers finished outside the finals spots in seventh at the end of the regular season but won the inaugural NBL Ignite Cup Final,[8] defeating the Adelaide 36ers 111–107 behind López's 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.[9][10]
On March 23, 2026, López declared for the 2026 NBA draft,[11] where he is regarded as a top prospect.[12]
National team career
López competed for Mexico at the 2022 Centrobasket U15 Championship.[2] He then played at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship, notably scoring 23 points in a loss to the United States team.[4] He played for the senior national team in 2024 during the Olympic qualification tournament.[2]
References
- ^ a b c "Karim Lopez". Proballers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Karim López, la joya mexicana que apunta a la NBA: "Es una meta a largo plazo"" [Karim López, the Mexican gem aiming for the NBA: "It's a long-term goal."]. Milenio (in Spanish). 13 March 2025.
- ^ de Jesus Ortiz, José (10 October 2024). "Mexican teen prodigy Karim Lopez nears NBA". Our Esquina.
- ^ a b c d e Spears, Marc J. (November 19, 2024). "Mexican forward Karim Lopez dreams of shooting hoops in NBA". Andscape.
- ^ Uluc, Olgun (5 November 2024). "Karim López, el mexicano que rompe una tendencia en la NBL de Australia" [Karim López, the Mexican who breaks a trend in Australia's NBL] (in Spanish). ESPN.
- ^ Toledo, Jair (28 February 2025). "¿Quién es el basquetbolista mexicano Karim López, uno de los mejores prospectos para el Draft de la NBA 2026?" [Who is Mexican basketball player Karim López, one of the top prospects for the 2026 NBA Draft?]. Olympics.com.
- ^ "A star is born: Lopez announces himself with 32". NBL.com.au. 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ^ "MVP call backfires with NBL title contender stunned as non-finalist pulls upset in $400k final". Fox Sports. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ "Mennenga seals Breakers' dramatic Ignite triumph | Basketball.com.au". www.basketball.com.au. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ "PJC leads Breakers to Ignite Cup crown". nbl.com.au. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ "Karim Lopez expected to be first Mexican-born basketball taken in first round of NBA Draft". New York Post. March 23, 2026. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
- ^ Peña, Karen (24 February 2025). "La ventaja de Karim López para el Draft 2026 de la NBA" [Karim López's advantage for the 2026 NBA Draft] (in Spanish). ESPN.