Mara: OKC's New Big
Michigan National Champion Aday Mara Drafted 12th Overall by Oklahoma City Thunder
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Key Points
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Mara's 2025-26 season featured a Michigan single-season record of 103 blocks, earning him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and making him a premier rim protector for the Wolverines' title run.
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In the NCAA Tournament, Mara averaged 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across nine games, including a 24-point, nine-rebound performance in Michigan's Final Four win over Arizona.
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Mara's combine measurements helped set him apart: 7′3″ in height with a 7′6″ wingspan and roughly 255–260 pounds, placing him among the longest wingspans in combine history.
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Analysts note Mara is a polarizing prospect because maximizing his value requires a specific defensive scheme—drop-coverage—and a role that leverages his top-of-the-circle passing, which may not suit every team.
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Michigan coach Dusty May has highlighted Mara's rapid development—from UCLA backup to national champion—and suggested his rise contributed to expectations that he could be a top-10 pick.
The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Michigan center Aday Mara with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, landing the best true big man in the class without trading up. Yahoo Sports reported that Mara, a 7-foot-3 Spaniard, gives OKC a potential defensive anchor and a possible answer to Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
Mara becomes the third Michigan player taken in a four-pick stretch. Teammates Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg went No. 9 and No. 11, respectively, completing a historic trio of top-12 picks from a single program, Tri-City Herald noted.
From UCLA Backup to National Champion and Lottery Pick
Mara's rise is one of the draft's best stories. He averaged just 5.0 points in 11.5 minutes per game at UCLA before transferring to Michigan in August 2025. Under head coach Dusty May, he thrived in a two-big system that let him work as a high-post passer and rim protector at the same time.
In the 2025-26 season, Mara posted 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 66.8% from the field — best in the Big Ten. He set a Michigan single-season record with 103 blocks and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Michigan finished 37-3, winning the national title over UConn 69-63. Mara said the journey was "a process of not giving up when things were tough and continuing to work."
Mara Dominated the NCAA Tournament When It Mattered Most
Mara raised his game in March. He averaged 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across nine NCAA Tournament games. In the Final Four against Arizona, he went for 26 points and 9 rebounds, according to FOX Sports.
In the national title game against UConn, Mara was quieter — 8 points, 4 rebounds, and a block — but Michigan still won. The Wolverines became the first Big Ten team to win the national title since 2000, with Mara anchoring a defense that finished No. 1 in the country in effective field-goal percentage allowed, per 247Sports.
Combine Measurements Place Mara Among the Longest in Draft History
At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Mara measured 7-foot-3 in height, with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and a 9-foot-9 standing reach — the highest standing reach recorded at the combine this year, NBADraft.net reported. He weighed in at 260 pounds with a 24-inch standing vertical.
Those numbers make him one of the longest prospects in combine history. Yahoo Sports called him the class's best true big man. Analysts note his elite basketball IQ and passing — 2.4 assists per game — set him apart from typical shot-blocking centers who can only catch and dunk.
OKC Gets a Rim Protector, But System Fit Will Determine His Ceiling
Mara is seen as a polarizing prospect. He thrives in drop coverage — a scheme where the center hangs back near the basket to block shots rather than chase guards around screens. Not every NBA team uses that system. Critics on platforms like Reddit point to his slow feet as a concern in switch-heavy NBA defenses.
OKC could be the ideal fit. NBC Sports noted that pairing Mara with the more mobile Chet Holmgren could create a "Twin Towers" look built to challenge Wembanyama. The Thunder also hold a team option on Isaiah Hartenstein, making Mara a cost-controlled long-term replacement. As the No. 12 pick, Mara is set to sign a four-year rookie contract worth roughly $27 million, according to Spotrac.
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