2026 NBA Draft: Karim Lopez Scouting Report

Throughout the 2025-26 season, Babcock Hoops will provide comprehensive scouting reports on top 2026 NBA Draft prospects, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and potential at the next level. Our reports offer an in-depth look at each player's development and draft outlook.

Karim Lopez

Position: Forward

Team: New Zealand Breakers

Class: International

Height/Weight: 6'8", 220 lbs

Birthdate: April 12, 2007

Player Overview

Karim Lopez is a long, athletic forward who plays with poise and natural feel. A native of Sonora, Mexico, he’s quickly earned recognition as one of the top international prospects expected to be in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Lopez brings an impressive blend of physical tools, coordination, and skill. He has an NBA-ready frame with broad shoulders and strength that allows him to hold his ground against physical opponents. While not an overly explosive athlete, he’s smooth and controlled in his movements, operating with balance and rhythm. His game is defined by efficiency and maturity more than flash.

Offensively, Lopez offers versatility. He’s comfortable attacking the basketball or operating as a stationary floor spacer. His handle is steady for his size, he reads the floor well, and he’s shown flashes as a shot creator who can get to his spots. He’s a confident midrange shooter and has touch from deep that projects well long term. He’s also an instinctive cutter and a strong finisher around the rim, consistently finding ways to contribute without needing high usage.

Defensively, Lopez sets himself apart. He competes with effort and awareness, using his size, length, and anticipation to defend multiple positions. He rotates well, contests shots effectively, and takes pride in doing the little things that impact winning.

While he’s athletic, coordinated, and skilled, Lopez can look a bit mechanical at times, moving more like a modern four than a true wing. He’s somewhat of a positional tweener right now, but that versatility could easily be looked at as a strength depending on the perspective.

Strengths

• Positional Size: Strong frame at 6’8”, 220 lbs with ideal forward build.

• Athleticism: Coordinated and mobile for his size.

• Finishing: Strong around the basket; embraces contact and converts through physicality.

• Shooting Touch: Confident midrange shooter with balance and good mechanics, despite somewhat of a low-release point.

• Off-Ball Awareness: Smart cutter who finds scoring lanes within the flow of the offense and relocates well as a floor spacer.

• Defensive Versatility: Competes with effort and uses length to guard multiple positions.

• Instincts & Feel: Advanced sense of timing and positioning for a player his age

• Motor & Toughness: Plays with consistent energy, effort, and a team-first approach.

  
  

Concerns

• Perimeter Shooting: Needs to develop more consistency and confidence from three-point range.

• Movement Fluidity: A bit mechanical in his movements; moves more like a modern four than a true perimeter wing.

• Positional Identity: Still defining his long-term role between forward spots.

• Handle & Left Hand: Continued development will help expand his offensive versatility.

  
  

Bottom Line

Karim Lopez combines size, coordination, skill, and basketball instincts at a high level. His toughness, motor, and two-way versatility make him the kind of player NBA teams covet, and his smooth offensive game continues to expand. While he’s still developing his shooting consistency and positional identity, Lopez has all the tools and upside to be viewed as a highly valuable draft prospect.