Who said that at the age of 17 you can’t have a short but successful career? Karim Lopez (Sonora, Mexico, 2007) is the perfect example. This young athlete has stood out from an early age, dazzling in tournaments such as the Centrobasket U15 2022 and the FIBA U16 Americup 2023. In the latter, he averaged 20.5 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists, making it clear in the Americas that a new star was being born. His goal is to reach the NBA, even if he has to travel around the world to do it…This weekend start for him a new adventure.
Born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Karim has landed in the Australian NBL after his time in Spanish basketball, where he played with Juventud in the youth categories. His 2 meters and 2 centimeters in height, combined with his technical talent, have made him stand out from players older than him.
The coach of the Mexican national team, Omar Quintero, is fully aware of Karim’s potential and highlights exclusively for SportsIn the importance of his decision to join the NBL. “It was very important this decision that Karim made, because he is a player projected for the 2026 draft.” Quintero believes Lopez’s experience with the New Zealand Breakers will be crucial to his development. “He already has experience in Spain and with the senior national team, where he did an incredible job. We believe that there they will be able to finish polishing his talent,” said the Mexican strategist.
“We gave him a lot of responsibility this summer”
At 17 years old, Karim Lopez has already surprised the basketball world with his performance in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico. “He is our most important promise… We gave him a lot of responsibility this summer and he handled it impressively, being a great leader despite his youth and showing maturity to play at the highest level,” Quintero concluded.
This Saturday, September 21, the Mexican forward will make his debut with the New Zealand Breakers against the Brisbane Bullets, at 2:00 am, Mexico time. An entire country will be watching what he does on the other side of the Pacific.
