Although Petteri Koponen’s coached New Zealand Breakers are not playing well, the Finn has refined well the 17-year-old basketball talent who was selected for the 1st round of the NBA.
Petteri Koponen The New Zealand Breakers coached by New Zealand have collapsed in the Australian NBL basketball league on the road to defeats, and the league ranking has dropped to second last in the ten-team league.
The team under the Finnish coach have won only two of their last 15 matches, and at worst the losing streak stretched to eight matches.
A miracle is already required for the Breakers to make it to the six-team playoffs, and that is no longer in their hands with four rounds remaining.
Rookie coach Koponen’s joy has been the Breakers’ 17-year-old small winger Karim Lopezwho is believed to be booked in the first round of the 2026 NBA draft according to current estimates.
The Breakers lost 89-102 to South East Melbourne at the weekend. Born in 2007, Lopez set the under-18 NBL league scoring record in the game after sinking 20 points. In addition, he grabbed six rebounds and blocked the opponent’s shot twice.
In the last four games, the 202-centimeter Lopez has averaged 18 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 58 percent of the shots.
– I play with more confidence than before. My teammates and coaches trust me, that’s a big factor in my success, Lopez, who was born in Mexico but trained in basketball in Spain, talked to the local media.
Lopez is Now 12th on Mock Draft’s reservation listwhen, for example, Finland’s next top prospect, currently playing for AZ Compass’ high school team in Arizona Miikka Muurinen is in the same age group in the ranking list of the NBA booking event, four places higher – eighth.
With his size, game vision and speed, Lopez has become one of the Breakers’ key players despite his young age.
– He is a special talent who develops as a player all the time. Lopez has a great work ethic and sometimes we have to remind him of the importance of rest. Everything (success) depends on whether a talented young person is ready to work, and this guy is ready, praises Koponen.