With a 10-year professional basketball career behind him, NBA veteran Brook Lopez joined the Milwaukee Bucks in July 2018. The NBA star, who was called up for the first round in 2008, spent most of his long career with the Brooklyn Nets, where he consistently produced impressive statistics and was nominated for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game, among other things. Lopez also had a one-year guest appearance with the Los Angeles Lakers, which ended after the 2017-18 season.
Brook Lopez Bio, Age
Brook Robert Lopez was born on April 1, 1988, in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, just a minute earlier than his identical twin Robin. His family later moved to Fresno, California, where he spent most of his childhood and youth. Robert went to school at San Joaquin Memorial High School and was a member of the school’s basketball team along with his twin brother. Other highlights of their high school career included the talented duo’s participation in the McDonald’s All-American Boys Game 2006.
In 2005, Lopez and his twin brother both signed up to play college basketball at Stanford University. In his first season with the Stanford Cardinal men’s basketball team, he averaged 12.6 points and 6.0 rebounds in 26 plays per game, an achievement that earned him the All-Pac-10 Freshman Team selection. The talented player had an even better second season, averaging 19.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game, and was named to the All-Pac-10 First Team and the All-American Third Team.
Lopez signed up for the NBA Draft in March 2008, waiving his last 2 years of college eligibility. He was selected by the then-New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn Nets) as the 10th overall candidate for the 2008 NBA Draft.
Brook Lopez NBA Career
Lopez earned regular playing time in his first season with the New Jersey Nets in all 82 games and finished the season with 13.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. He earned an all-rookie first-team selection and finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year competition.
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Lopez maintained his role as the Nets’ number one player by playing in all 82 regular-season games in each of the two seasons following his rookie season. His individual performances improved equally in both seasons, although the team’s overall performance slowed.
The Nets’ smooth running of the NBA star came to a halt when he was injured ahead of the 2011-2012 regular season. He missed the first 32 games of the season before returning to action on February 19, 2012. After only 5 games, he sustained another injury that put him offside for the rest of the season.
Lopez returned to top form for the 2012-13 season after signing a four-year contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets in July 2012. He played 79 games and finished the season at a career peak level with 19.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. The talented player was nominated for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game to replace Rajon Rondo, who had to retire due to injury.
Lopez’s 2013-14 season was shortened by injury, but he returned to top form in the season after that. In July 2015, he signed a three-year contract extension with the Nets and was billed to stay on the team until 2018. He remained in top form during his long tenure with the Nets until June 2017, when he was transferred to the Los Angeles Lakers in a multiplayer deal. The NBA veteran’s one-season stint with the Lakers was rather unfavorable as his point average dropped to 13.0 points per game. He joined the Milwaukee Bucks in July 2018.
Salary: How Much Does He Earn?
Brook Lopez has been named one of the top 100 highest-paid athletes in the world in 2018 by Forbes magazine, after earning up to $23.1 million in the reporting period. This figure is expected to be even higher thanks to Lopez’s one-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, which will earn him a salary of $3,382,000 for the 2018-19 season.
Parents, Brother
Brook Lopez was raised by his mother, Deborah Ledford, who was a high school math teacher. Ledford was a competitive swimmer in her prime, and just like her son, she attended Stanford University. His father, Heriberto Lopez, is known as a native Cuban. Not much information is known about him, as he is estranged from the family.
Besides his twin brother Robin, Brook Lopez has two older brothers, Chris and Alex. Brook’s basketball career was very similar to that of his twin brother, as the duo played together from childhood until their college careers. They also entered the NBA Draft together in 2008, were both selected in the first round, and also play in the same middle position.
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Robin Lopez played for the Phoenix Suns, the New Orleans Hornets, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the New York Knicks before joining the Chicago Bulls in 2016. Just like his famous younger brothers, Alex Lopez played college basketball at the University of Washington, then went on to play professionally in Asia and Europe.
Wife, Girlfriend
The information available on Brook Lopez indicates that the NBA star is currently unmarried. He has enjoyed a fair share of the limelight from the beginning of his career, but he has managed to keep this aspect of his personal life away from the media. Lopez is currently seeing someone, but the identity of his partner has been kept under wraps.
Height and Other Body Measurements
With an impressive height of 7 feet (213 cm) and a bodyweight of 268 lbs (122 kg), Brook Lopez is perfect for the middle position. Although his athleticism has diminished with age, the veteran center has remained relevant to his dynamic offensive abilities.
