The 2026-27 NBA regular season features two players of Mexican origin on opening rosters: rookie Karim López with the Memphis Grizzlies and Jaime Jáquez Jr. with the Milwaukee Bucks. Mexican basketball in North America changes this campaign, highlighted by López making history as the first player born in Mexico selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, and Jáquez entering a transition in Wisconsin following a major summer trade.
Preseason debuts and early rotation battles for Mexican NBA players
Karim López officially logged his first preseason minutes on October 5, 2026, entering off the bench during the fourth quarter of the Memphis Grizzlies’ 132-123 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Beyond his offensive output, it was noted that López’s defensive activity stood out immediately, as the rookie disrupted passing lanes to secure multiple steals in limited action. Prior to his game action, López also endeared himself to local supporters by participating in the team’s traditional rookie dance-off during the open practice at FedExForum on October 4.
Meanwhile, Jaime Jáquez Jr. has already stepped into a role with the Milwaukee Bucks following his arrival in the offseason. In his first preseason start against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jáquez logged 18 minutes, scoring five points, grabbing one rebound, and converting a three-pointer while playing alongside returning and new core pieces like Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Ryan Rollins, and Tyler Herro.
López moves from Spain and Australia to Memphis
López arrived in Memphis via a historic route. The Detroit Pistons originally selected the Hermosillo native with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. The following day, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired his draft rights in a transaction that involved the 17th selection and five future second-round picks. Before reaching the NBA, López left Mexico at age 14 to join Joventut Badalona’s youth system in Spain, where he made four appearances in the Liga Endesa during the 2023-24 season. He subsequently moved to the Southern Hemisphere to play two campaigns in the Australian NBL under the Next Stars program with the New Zealand Breakers. During the 2025-26 NBL season, he averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 block across 30 games, setting a single-season scoring record for draft-eligible Next Stars participants with 358 total points.
Jáquez enters the 2026-27 season on the heels of the most productive statistical campaign of his professional career. During his final year with Miami in 2025-26, he averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists across 75 appearances, coming off the bench in 74 of those contests while averaging 28.3 minutes per game. His steady play earned him a second-place finish in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting. Now in Milwaukee, Jáquez anchors a restructured roster following the departure of Antetokounmpo after 13 seasons.
Upcoming regular season opening schedules
Both players continue their preparations ahead of the opening week of the regular season, which tips off on October 20, 2026. For López, the preseason schedule provides an ongoing audition to secure a consistent role within a Grizzlies forward rotation that features veteran Jerami Grant. Following their opening win against Atlanta, the Grizzlies host the Orlando Magic. Jáquez and the Bucks use their remaining exhibition matches to solidify rotation combinations before opening their regular-season schedule.
Worth a look
