Today marks the return of the NBA, as preseason games are officially underway. In some preseason or exhibition games we get to see teams from other professional leagues travel across the world to play against NBA teams. In today’s matchup at 9 p.m. ET, we get to watch the New Zealand Breakers travel to Salt Lake City to play against the Utah Jazz. This is a great opportunity to watch how the youngest player in the NBL performs versus legit NBA players.

The young prospect is Karim Lopez, a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He isn’t eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft due to not reaching the age requirements. Lopez is an enticing prospect due to his great physical and athletic tools for his age. He stands at 6-foot-8 and is possibly still growing. As Lopez continues to get older his frame will keep filling out and he will continue to add lower and upper body strength. 

The talent is evident when watching him as he shows tough shot-making ability with the ability to score in a variety of different ways. Lopez has legit three-level scoring potential. Despite showing a lot of potential he’s still an unfinished product and is a bit raw which is okay as he’s still very young. So far this season in five total games played he‘s averaging around 12 minutes per game so it’s expected he gets to see the floor tonight versus the Jazz.

This will certainly be the best competition and players he has ever faced in his young career so expect to see some struggles. When it’s all said and done this will be a great experience for the NBL next star and could be a crucial part in his development as a player.

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