Grizzlies rookie Karim Lopez gets chants from fans, first career basket

With a little more than nine minutes left in the fourth quarter of the Oct. 31 game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, a chant echoed throughout FedExForum.

“We want Lopez!” fans chanted, referring to Grizzlies rookie first-round pick Karim Lopez.

He checked into the game with 4:15 left and scored his first career basket with 30.5 seconds remaining. The Grizzlies went on to beat the Kings 136-105.

Lopez, the first Mexican-born first-round pick in NBA history, was thrilled to score his first points. He acknowledged that teammate Carson Cooper was open, but he decided to dash to the basket and lay in his first career points over the outstretch arms of a defender at the rim.

“It was a super nice moment,” Lopez said. “I’m not going to lie, Cooper was wide open, but I’m not swinging that. I’m going to be honest. You got to get those first points. From now on, I’ll swing that (pass). But yeah, super special and happy.”

Cooper also scored his first career point in the fourth quarter on a free throw. Both players were celebrated in the locker room and received game balls.

After the game, Lopez said this wasn’t his first time hearing fans chanting for him to play. He got his first game action on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers and finished with one rebound.

This time, Lopez got to enter the game at home, and the fans showed their appreciation with a loud cheer after his first career basket.

“It’s cool to see people wanting me in the game,” Lopez said. “I was trying to go in also.”

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Grizzlies rookie Karim Lopez gets chants from fans, first career basket