Overview
- On Tuesday night at the Barclays Center, Karim López was selected at No. 21 by the Detroit Pistons and had his draft rights sent to the Memphis Grizzlies in a draft-night trade.
- López, 19 and from Hermosillo, is the first player born in Mexico taken in the first round and only the second Mexico-born draftee overall, a milestone for Mexican basketball.
- He developed in Joventut Badalona’s youth system before joining the NBL Next Stars with the New Zealand Breakers, where he averaged about 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in his last season.
- Other international outcomes in the 2026 class include Spanish center Aday Mara going No. 12 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sergio de Larrea being picked at No. 25 and ending up with the Dallas Mavericks after trades, and Baba Miller taken at No. 36 by the Los Angeles Clippers.
- Teams will now complete rookie contracts, decide Summer League and development plans, and fans in Mexico and Memphis will watch how López’s arrival affects his playing time and the sport’s profile in both places.