Aday Mara Scouting Report: The 7’3″ Spaniard the Thunder Took at No. 12
We made our Aday Mara video the day before the 2026 NBA draft, arguing that a 7-foot-3 center with a 7-foot-6 wingspan was being undervalued. Oklahoma City took him 12th the next night. Four months later he has a national championship, an NBA contract and two strong preseason games. This report covers how he got here and what kind of NBA player he is likely to be.
Aday Mara at a glance
| Height | 7’3″ barefoot at the 2026 draft combine (some listings say 7’2″) |
|---|---|
| Listed weight | 255 lb |
| Reach | 7’6″ wingspan, 9’9″ standing reach (combine) |
| Born | 2005, Zaragoza, Spain |
| Position | Center |
| Current team | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Last season | 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks in 40 games for Michigan |
| NBA status | Rookie. Drafted 12th overall in 2026 |
| Last checked | 9 October 2026 |
Who Is Aday Mara?
Mara is from Zaragoza and made his debut in Spain’s top league for his hometown club at 16. He moved to UCLA in 2023, and for two years almost nothing happened: 3.5 points a game as a freshman, then 6.4 points and 1.6 blocks in 13 minutes as a sophomore, according to his career record. The talent was obvious and the playing time was not there.
In April 2025 he transferred to Michigan. That move made his career.
The Michigan Season
As a full-time starter he averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 blocks in 23 minutes, shooting 66.8 percent from the field. He was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. A few games show the range of what he does:
- 18 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 blocks against Wake Forest in November 2025.
- A career-high 6 blocks against Penn State in February 2026.
- 24 points at Ohio State three days later, including the first two three-pointers of his college career.
- 26 points on 11 of 16 shooting, with 9 rebounds, in the Final Four win over Arizona.
Michigan won the national title on April 6, 2026, and Mara made the All-Final Four team.
Draft Night and the First Weeks in Oklahoma City
The Thunder selected him 12th overall on June 23 and signed him on July 3. In Summer League he averaged 8.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in three games in Oklahoma City, then 10 points and 3 blocks a game in Salt Lake City, per RealGM.
The preseason has gone better. On October 6 he had 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks against New Orleans. The next night he scored 22 against Milwaukee. He did not miss a shot in either game.
Scouting Report: Strengths and Weaknesses
What he does well
- Finishing. He dunked 76 times last season and converted 86 percent of his cuts and 76 percent of his rolls to the rim, according to Bleacher Report’s scouting report.
- Rim protection. He blocked 13 percent of opponents’ two-point shots while he was on the floor across three college seasons.
- Passing. He assisted on 19 percent of his teammates’ baskets, a guard-like number for a center. Our video’s line that he passes like a guard is fair.
- Measurements. 7’3″ without shoes with a 9’9″ standing reach, per the combine results.
What holds him back
- Free throws. 56.4 percent last season and 58.5 percent for his college career. Teams will foul him late in close games.
- No jump shot yet. He made a handful of threes all year. The shooting question our video raised is still open.
- Turnovers. He lost the ball on nearly 18 percent of his possessions.
- Defending in space. Scouts have flagged his foot speed in the pick-and-roll since he was 17. This is where we were too generous in the video: he blocks shots at an elite rate, but he is not quick on the perimeter.
Mara vs. Wembanyama
Oklahoma City lost a seven-game Western Conference final to San Antonio last spring, and then used a lottery pick on a 7’3″ center. Nobody at the Thunder has to say why. Asked about guarding Victor Wembanyama, Mara’s answer was three words: “I’m ready.”
On paper he is the closest physical match in the league: an inch shorter, with a 7’6″ wingspan and real passing skill. In practice, Wembanyama will drag him 25 feet from the basket, which is exactly where Mara is least comfortable. The two have not played each other yet. The first meeting is reported to be the season opener on October 20, and it will tell us more than any scouting report.
NBA Timeline and Verdict
Most 7’3″ rookies need years. Mara may not, because he joins a contender that needs one specific thing from him: 15 to 20 minutes of size, rim protection and passing. The free throws and the perimeter defense will decide whether he closes games or watches them.
Most mock drafts had him outside the top eight. He went 12th, and after two preseason games that already looks reasonable. A realistic first-year line is 7 to 9 points, 5 to 6 rebounds and more than a block a game off the bench, with the Spurs series next spring as the real test.
Where Mara ranks among the world’s young giants
Mara is one of 7 Spanish players in our database of active 7-footers born in 2001 or later. See the full list, searchable by name, team and country:
Measurements are from the 2026 draft combine as reported; statistics are from RealGM and his published career record. The scouting numbers are from the Bleacher Report profile linked above. Last checked 9 October 2026.