Hats off to Karim Lopez for the way he handled one of the more awkward moments of the NBA Draft.<\/p>\n
Of course, the night is full of surprises, and not just because of who gets picked.<\/p>\n
With draft picks changing hands throughout the night, it’s become one of the event’s quirkiest traditions that players often end up wearing the hat of a team they’ll never actually play for.<\/p>\n
NBL Next Star Lopez became the latest to experience the draft-night oddity.<\/p>\n
Having walked across the stage in a Detroit Pistons cap after being selected with the 21st overall pick, Lopez only discovered his rights had previously been traded during a live ESPN interview.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to Memphis, did you ever work out with them?\u201d asked presenter Brian Windhorst.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Memphis? Wait \u2026 Memphis?\u201d Lopez retorted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you said he was going to Memphis?\u201d Windhorst asked his producers, confused. \u201cIs the first time you\u2019ve heard this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought I heard something about it \u2026 I wasn\u2019t sure. I wasn\u2019t sure if it was something else,\u201d Lopez said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure you\u2019re going to Memphis,\u201d the veteran sportswriter reiterated. <\/p>\n
Once he heard the news, Lopez spun his Pistons cap around and could only laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll keep it like this then,\u201d he joked, with his hat backwards. <\/p>\n
Lopez was one of two NBL Next Stars selected in the draft, with Malique Lewis taken with the 60th overall pick, landing at the Milwaukee Bucks.<\/p>\n
In the process, Lopez became the 12th NBL Next Star drafted directly from the NBL to the NBA and the first Mexican-born player selected in the first round.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s super special to be here,\u201d Lopez said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to represent my country. Represent where I\u2019m from. Represent my faith, and represent myself and show the people who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
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