IT WAS another step in the right direction for National Basketball League (NBL) Next Star and NBA Draft hopeful Karim Lopez, who was among the best for the New Zealand Breakers as they defeated the Brisbane Bullets.

Lopez joined the NBL last year, and was still one of the standouts despite being a year away from being draft eligible. Now looking to cement himself as a top 10 selection in the 2026 NBA intake, he has been looking to catch the eye again for the Breakers, despite the team’s tough start to the season.

The Breakers were far too good for the Bullets on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night, with the visitors storming out to an early lead and never looking back. It was a completely one-sided affair as New Zealand kept the game on its terms, cruising home to a 29-point win on the road in what could prove a decisive win in the context of its season.

Lopez was one of the key contributors for the Breakers, doing a bit of everything as the visitors managed to snatch control of the contest early and stun the Bullets, with their star youngster heavily involved in the action.

Brisbane Bullets (84) def. by New Zealand Breakers (113)

Karim Lopez – 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, one block

In one of Lopez’s most balanced performance since joining the NBL 15 months ago, he was able to chime in on both ends of the floor as the Breakers dismantled the Bullets, catching the eye as one of the best players on the floor.

He had a hot start to the match, nailing his first shot of the match from long range, which will have been a huge tick in the eyes of NBA scouts, who have already seen his ability to play above the rim and will be impressed in his shooting improvement. Lopez found Sam Mennenga open on the perimeter with a nice dish shortly after in a hot start for the Breakers.

Lopez splashed home a second long range bomb a couple of minutes later, before combining well with a cutting Mennenga once again as the pair tormented the Brisbane defence. The Next Star threw down a two-handed dunk as well as swatting an attempted layup from Casey Prather before finishing his hot start to the quarter on the bench.

He was injected back into the game in the second frame, and wasted no time picking up exactly where he left off, putting more pressure on the rim with a nice driving layup through the defence. His shining play came shortly after, when he broke down the defence and splashed home the stepback three-pointer to put the Breakers up by 28 points, before finishing the half with a nice steal to be one of the most impactful players on the court.

It was a quieter second half from Lopez, who did not hit the scoreboard after half time but was still able to have an impact despite closer defensive attention from the opposition. Most of his work came on the glass, crashing the defensive boards and using his vertical leap to get first hands on the ball, while his passing was creating plenty of opportunities for others.

He finished the match with 13 points – with three made triples – six rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in a magnificent all-around display. Lopez will have done his draft chances no harm with this performance and certainly caught the eye in a big team win.