Invite only: Next Star joins exclusive NBA Draft group

NBL Next Star Karim Lopez has reportedly received an invitation to the 2026 NBA Draft Green Room.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, the New Zealand Breakers prospect is one of 14 draft-eligible players to receive an invitation as part of the NBA’s first wave of green room invites.

Joining the 19-year-old, who helped the Breakers win the first-ever Ignite Cup Final during the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Season, are Darius Acuff (Arkansas), Nate Ament (Tennessee), Christian Anderson (Texas Tech), Cameron Boozer (Duke), Mikel Brown (Louisville), Brayden Burries (Arizona), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Kingston Flemings (Houston), Aday Mara (Michigan), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Labaron Philon (Alabama), Keaton Wagler (Illinois) and Caleb Wilson (UNC).

All 24 prospects who were invited to the green room for the first day of the 2025 NBA Draft were ultimately among the 30 first-round picks.

In other Lopez news, the Mexican talent, who averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game this campaign, while shooting 49 per cent from the field, told Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor that he is going to be working out for the Brooklyn Nets in the lead-up to the June 23-24 Draft.

“I haven't had any of these group workouts, but I'll be having a couple soon. I'm going to Brooklyn in a couple of days," Lopez said to O’Connor.

"I'm going up against Nate Ament, I think that's who's going to be in that workout. I'm super excited for that. I feel like it's going to be a good one, I'm excited for that.”

The Next Stars program has seen six players drafted in the first round across the last six NBA drafts, including LaMelo Ball (2020), Josh Giddey (2021), Ousmane Dieng (2022) and Alex Sarr (2024), all being selected inside the lottery.