Could the Charlotte Hornets select Karim Lopez in the 2026 NBA Draft?
Mexican prospect Karim Lopez has declared for the 2026 NBA draft and he's been linked to the Charlotte Hornets.
Lopez spent the past two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has the Charlotte Hornets taking Lopez with the 14th overall pick in the 2026 draft.
"The Hornets had a strong enough second half to seriously consider team need here, and they might see Lopez as the big, two-way forward this roster is missing," Buckley wrote. "He's a no-maintenance, all-effort role player who can help make life easier on Charlotte's rising stars in so many simple, subtle ways. He understands how and when to find his chances within the offensive flow, and he can already shape-shift through defensive assignments of different sizes and styles."
Lopez, who turned 19 on April 12, averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds this season while shooting 49% shooting from the field in 25.6 minutes per game. A 6-foot-9 forward with perimeter skill, he set several marks for draft-eligible NBL Next Stars, including the single-season points record, totaling 358 in his 30 starts. He tied 2025 draftee Alex Toohey's record for total steals and blocks with 66.
The top-ranked international prospect on ESPN's draft rankings, Lopez is projected to become the first player born in Mexico to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft. Charlotte would be lucky to get him and pair him with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
"It's been my dream and my goal my whole life to play in the NBA," Lopez told ESPN. "Honestly, since I can remember. I was probably like 5 years old, making drawings of myself playing in the NBA. ... It's pretty special, you know, to be in this position right now."
NBA scouts have been drawn to Lopez's combination of positional size, 7-1 wingspan, ball skills, playmaking flashes and toughness. He has a blend of traits teams tend to covet in the draft. His perimeter shooting and physical explosiveness are areas to improve heading into the pre-draft process, per ESPN.
"I want to show NBA teams who I am," Lopez said. "Playing in a grown man league, it's not easy. But there's things I feel like people haven't seen yet."
The Hornets were one win away from making the playoffs this year. Charlotte has two picks in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. After selecting four rotation players a year ago, the Hornets have another opportunity to deepen their roster this year.
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