First Round NBA Draft Pick Jaime Jáquez Jr. Makes Mexican History

Last week at the 2023 NBA draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Jaime Jáquez Jr. became the first Mexican player drafted in the first round.

Jáquez Jr was selected 18th overall by the Miami Heat. The small forward played four years at UCLA. During his time he became a Consensus second-team All-American, two-time First-team All-Pac-12, Pac-12 player of the year for 2023, and won the Lute Olson Award.

The 22-year-old joins the Utah Jazz forward, Juan Toscano, as the only two Mexicans players in the league.

Jáquez is the third Mexican player in NBA history to ever be selected. Joining Manuel Raga who was drafted in 1970 in the 10th round 167 overall by the Atlanta Hawks and Eduardo Nájera the second-rounder and 38th overall selection from the 2000 draft.