Overview
- Memphis used the No. 21 overall selection to take López after acquiring the pick from Detroit, a move completed on Tuesday night at the NBA Draft in Brooklyn.
- López, 19, was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, and celebrated his heritage on stage and in a custom suit lining that featured Mexican symbols as he reacted emotionally to being chosen.
- He developed overseas, joining Joventut Badalona as a teenager and spending the past two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers, where he averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 2025–26.
- Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman called López a strong value pick and the team said it is optimistic about his upside while noting areas for development such as consistent perimeter shooting.
- Before López only one Mexican-born player had been drafted into the NBA (Eduardo Nájera in 2000), and López’s selection highlights how European academies and the NBL Next Stars route are feeding more international prospects into the league.