The top of the 2026 NBA Draft is set to be dominated by college players, mostly one-and-dones.
Unlike some recent seasons when international prospects came to the forefront, these guys will mostly be well-known names when they are picked. Karim Lopez, though, is different.
Lopez is a Mexican basketball player who spent the last few seasons playing for the New Zealand Breakers in Australia's National Basketball League.
The talented 6-foot-9 Lopez first played a couple of seasons in Spain with Joventut Badalona, where he mostly played on the 'B' team but got four games with the senior squad before departing.
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Once he joined the Breakers, Lopez became the youngest player in NBL history to record a double-double.
He's still just 19, having just celebrated his most recent birthday in April, and has a case as a lottery pick. Players who perform well in solid overseas leagues at young ages usually don't miss.
The quirkiest part of Lopez, though, may be that fans believe he's related to Brook Lopez, or at least want to believe it.
Brook, the long-time NBA center, is pictured atop this article.
This is Karim:
Karim y Brook Lopez pueden ser la segunda pareja de padres en jugar juntos y nadie dice nada https://t.co/yghgoiOZzy
— Bad Luka 🇦🇷 (@Lukarg77) May 12, 2026
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They certainly have some similar features, and obviously having the same last name certainly makes it easier for fans to make the parallel.
But there's been nothing to suggest they actually are related. It's just quite the coincidence for one of the more intriguing prospects in this year's NBA Draft.
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