The Grizzlies moved around a bit on the board before eventually selecting Karim Lopez 21st overall in this year's draft. Karim Lopez had previously spent two seasons in the NBL playing for the New Zealand Breakers. Still just 19 years old, Lopez is an intriguing upside swing heading into this season with some fair questions about how his game will translate in the NBA.
Rightfully so, most of the attention will surround Cam Boozer, a potential franchise cornerstone selected third overall by the Grizzlies. But some other good news for Grizzlies fans is that we will get our first extended look of Karim Lopez in a few days. It was impressive to see how well Lopez handled the physicality of the NBL at such a young age, but now he will get more chances to face NBA talent.
Two years ago, the New Zealand Breakers faced the Utah Jazz in a preseason game, which allowed Karim Lopez to face NBA competition at just 17 years old. Despite losing by 29 points, it was still impressive to see Lopez end up with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
Even with questions about his jumpshot and on-ball creation, it is easy to see why Lopez was on Zach Kleiman's radar months before the 2026 NBA Draft.
Lopez could be a Summer League standout for the Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have no shortage of young talent now that they have fully committed to rebuilding. A lot of the future success the Grizzlies will have hinges on Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, and Cam Boozer. However, Karim Lopez has the early chance to show he's one of the steals of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Having already gotten a quick taste of NBA competition and rapidly developing in the NBL, it would not be a surprise if Lopez strings together strong performances in Summer League. Having measured at 6 foot 8.25 and 221.8 pounds at the combine, Lopez brings impressive positional size for his age and could potentially thrive at both forward spots.
The NBL is a very physical league, and it's impressive how productive Lopez was at his age. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.2 stocks (steals and blocks) per game. While he will have to improve his jumpshot and on-ball creation, his physicality paired with the fact he's a tenacious rebounder could make him immediately impact.
It also helps that Lopez is a solid playmaker and a very smart offensive player without the ball in his hands. When looking back on some of his NBL performances and his game against the Jazz as a 17-year-old, Lopez could end up being a major standout for the Grizzlies in this year's Summer League.
There are plenty of storylines to look out for this summer, but Karim Lopez faces the perfect opportunity to make a strong first impression on Grizzlies fans.
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