Overview
- The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Michigan center Aday Mara at No. 12 on Wednesday to add a true big with rare length and shot-blocking upside.
- Mara measured 7-foot-3 barefoot with about a 7-foot-6 wingspan and a 9-foot-9 standing reach at the combine, traits that make him an immediate interior deterrent.
- He arrived in the NBA after transferring from UCLA to Michigan, where he won the national title and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors.
- Scouts praise Mara’s timing, passing and floor sense but note clear offensive limits, including no perimeter shooting and sub-60% free-throw accuracy, so he is a developmental project rather than a day-one solution.
- By choosing Mara, the Thunder are prioritizing a matchup-focused roster build after Victor Wembanyama dominated their playoff series last season, and the pick could reshape OKC’s defensive options as Mara develops.