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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 04: Aday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates against the Arizona Wildcats during the second half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After one transformational season in Ann Arbor, Aday Mara is officially in the NBA. The Michigan center was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Here’s what Mara will bring to the Thunder.
Unmatched size at the position
Let’s begin with the blatantly obvious. Mara is a 7-foot-3 (barefoot) big man with an incredible 7-foot-6.75 wingspan, a combination that puts him among the longest players in the entire NBA. He immediately impacts both ends of the floor with his sheer presence and natural feel for the game. The measureables simply cannot be taught, which made Mara a highly wanted player in the first place.
The feel and passing set him apart
What makes Mara a genuinely fascinating prospect is what he does with his size. He’s comfortable facilitating from all ends of the court, displaying touch and vision uncommon for a player his size. His passing creativity, in particular, will pop the most on tape. His elite level of rim protection, especially when paired with his highlight reel passing ability, makes him a fascinating professional prospect.
Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game with the Wolverines this past season, numbers that undersell his actual impact given his minutes and role.
Areas to watch moving forward
No player is flawless, and Mara is no different. Concerns exist around his body, defensive limitations — his size isn’t always a benefit — usage relative to his position and free throw shooting, although that latter stat did improve over the course of the season. While his physical strength and lateral mobility remain areas of development, most scouts believe his basketball IQ gives him a path to overcome those limitations over time.
The bottom line
Mara is one of the more interesting developmental templates that scouts have seen in some time, loaded with unteachable qualities like his size and length. He has improvements to be made, much like any prospect, but the team that drafts him is clearly willing to put in the work and help him make those improvements.
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