Aday Mara (2005) - the spanish freak?

[Felixians4]

so happy for him. I know Mick Cronin was seething at home watching him go off when he was clueless how to utilize him at UCLA. Thing is, I think he might actually be able to shoot the three at the next level making him starter worthy if he can continue improving physically. Another year or two in the weight room and he could be fun to watch

Middy some is enough. People here very low on him. He is real deal, next tower elite rim protector who is terrific passer and which helps height od when he can pass above players and it is easier to get a clean look for him.

Yes, not polished fully, slow, can be molested in post(but how many so big and strong men in league, not many), but he is proven big who coexisting in huge lineups, as role player or main man like for Spain under generation, had solid pro experience when he was 17 or 18 in fantastic domestic Endesa league. To be said all, maybe not logical, Aday is late bloomer for NBA. He is already back up competent, no dilemma in that. As new Grizz fan, Edey-Aday pairing would be so intriguing and there is Aldama, who should be main teammate in National team where Mara could lead Spain back to be powerhouse.

[King Ken]

I am not a fan of his defense. He plays like a bigger less functionally mobile Mouse Mike Muscala on defense. His rim protection doesn't translate but his paint protection is world class. His reaction time lags and he's not a good athlete even for his size.

His offense is special. Reminds me of a taller Jock Landale. Needs to shoot the ball better but he has the touch, just needs the focus. His passing is special. His feel is. He understands movement as an offensive players. He can help offensively, right now.

He's a two way guy for college but he's not for the NBA. I would lean to the late 20s and early 2nd for Mara.

I really like his offense. I don't like him as much as I liked Raynaud but I like him.

[tmorgan]

I am not a fan of his defense. He plays like a bigger less functionally mobile Mouse Mike Muscala on defense. His rim protection doesn't translate but his paint protection is world class. His reaction time lags and he's not a good athlete even for his size.

His offense is special. Reminds me of a taller Jock Landale. Needs to shoot the ball better but he has the touch, just needs the focus. His passing is special. His feel is. He understands movement as an offensive players. He can help offensively, right now.

He's a two way guy for college but he's not for the NBA. I would lean to the late 20s and early 2nd for Mara.

I really like his offense. I don't like him as much as I liked Raynaud but I like him.

And that sounds an awful lot like Boban + better passing, which I think is accurate.

[King Ken]

I am not a fan of his defense. He plays like a bigger less functionally mobile Mouse Mike Muscala on defense. His rim protection doesn't translate but his paint protection is world class. His reaction time lags and he's not a good athlete even for his size.

His offense is special. Reminds me of a taller Jock Landale. Needs to shoot the ball better but he has the touch, just needs the focus. His passing is special. His feel is. He understands movement as an offensive players. He can help offensively, right now.

He's a two way guy for college but he's not for the NBA. I would lean to the late 20s and early 2nd for Mara.

I really like his offense. I don't like him as much as I liked Raynaud but I like him.

And that sounds an awful lot like Boban + better passing, which I think is accurate.

Boban is a better post player and much stronger. He's more like a taller less functional Moose Muscala on defense while his strengths are offensive. Having the upside to be a taller Jock Landale with a mix of Brad Miller. But Jock is a better defensive player as is Brad Miller. Shooting is Mara swing skill.

[azcatz11]

Didn't expect to see this guy drop a career high in points in a Final Four game.

With that size, and a developing offensive game, someone is going to take him in the first round. It's just too tempting. Whether it's the right choice or not.

I agree. And my opinion of the front office that does so will be lowered. He’s not Edey.

Congrats on the win. Unfortunately Burries played like a school girl and reverted back to early season form. I knew the game was over on the first possession when he didn’t hit rim and bricked his 3.

Dusty May may be the best coach in the country. FAU actually beat Arizona a few years ago.

[Dat2U]

I think you guys are underestimating a true 7-3 guy with some coordination and solid processing. Like there is only 3 other guys in the league, 7-3 or taller and Rocco Zikarsky is far more raw processing/skill wise.

I saw someone say Mike Muscala if Muscala was 7-3. Well, if Mike Muscala was 7-3 instead of 6-10, he'd probably be starting in the NBA right now.

[tmorgan]

You guys can talk yourself into Mara if you want to. I’m pretty sure some front office will, too.

The guy is painfully slow and can’t shoot outside of five feet. There’s not much else to say. He can be a bench big if he works on his strength and free throws, coming in for some quick buckets ala Boban before the opposing coach starts putting him in defensive actions that expose his slow feet.

[King Ken]

I think you guys are underestimating a true 7-3 guy with some coordination and solid processing. Like there is only 3 other guys in the league, 7-3 or taller and Rocco Zikarsky is far more raw processing/skill wise.

I saw someone say Mike Muscala if Muscala was 7-3. Well, if Mike Muscala was 7-3 instead of 6-10, he'd probably be starting in the NBA right now.

I don't believe Moose at 7'3 would start in the NBA today. And he's not as athletic or functionally fluid as Moose.

[BigGargamel]

I think you guys are underestimating a true 7-3 guy with some coordination and solid processing. Like there is only 3 other guys in the league, 7-3 or taller and Rocco Zikarsky is far more raw processing/skill wise.

I saw someone say Mike Muscala if Muscala was 7-3. Well, if Mike Muscala was 7-3 instead of 6-10, he'd probably be starting in the NBA right now.

People want to love guys like this so bad, because 7'3 is fun.

But very few 7'3 guys ever pan out.

Mara would have been a top ten pick 20 years ago when the league was slower and bigger, but he's going to struggle.

I'd still take him in the late first or early second, because there isn't a ton of downside, and he could pan out, but he's got a lot of work ahead of him.

[peZt]

Man, I dont know if you guys think every 7'5 guy needs to move like Wemby, cause I have no idea how you can call Mara "painfully slow". The way you guys talk about him you'dd think he would move like 40 year old Boban. Then I watch him and see a guy light on his feet, exploding to the basket from the pick and roll and catching alley oops like its nothing

[tontoz]

Yeah I think Mara moves pretty well. I have no doubt he would leave Boban in the dust running the floor.

A couple of those finishes inside last game showed impressive agility.

[JMAC3]

He is elite in college basketball where there is no defensive 3 seconds and you can have 2 guys never leave the paint. He also has a larger height advantage on the offensive end than he will have in the NBA, he often times can catch lobs flat footed and put the ball up before the 6-9 center guarding him can react.

Tall skinny guys just aren't all that valuable unless they can really move at elite levels. Kalel Ware is a good example of a guy being 7-1 and being way more coordinated and skilled than Mara and just being an okay player.

I think Kalkbrenner is probably more talented than Mara.

[tmorgan]

I suppose I should clarify… painfully slow in the NBA. Just slow in college.

To make him playable on defense, he’s going to have to play drop 100% of the time. If you can design a defense with wings and guards with really good screen navigation, and an opposing team with a non-shooter he can be assigned to, sure, it could work. He’ll still need to get stronger, particularly in his legs and core, in order to box out and hold position against strong centers. His legs are so ludicrously long that it’ll be difficult to stay on balance through contact in the post or on the boards. He’s not built like a tree like Edey, he’s built like Baba Yaga’s house, the one with legs.

Offensively, though, there’s a lot of promise for sure. Post moves and passing in particular. Asking for more range seems unlikely, but just improving his free throw shooting would do a lot.

I’ve softened on him a little — we did win the title with Aday playing an important role, after all. I wouldn’t laugh at a team taking him 20th or later, but I still don’t think he can be anything but a backup for certain matchups, at least for a few years.

[sisibilio]

You guys can talk yourself into Mara if you want to. I’m pretty sure some front office will, too.

The guy is painfully slow and can’t shoot outside of five feet. There’s not much else to say. He can be a bench big if he works on his strength and free throws, coming in for some quick buckets ala Boban before the opposing coach starts putting him in defensive actions that expose his slow feet.

He's no Dirk but he can shoot from midrange as good as your Evan Mobley or Pau Gasol. Don't let the FT struggles fool you.

[tmorgan]

Mara now projecting late lottery all over the place.

I get it, I’m just some guy, these are draftniks (some with actual intel), front office leaks, speculators with real knowledge sometimes.

I still think it’s absolutely crazy to use a pick in the teens (or earlier!) on Mara. By the time he’s ready to contribute significantly he’ll need to be paid real money, and at that point he’s still going to be a limited minutes, matchup specific guy unless something drastic happens. Late lottery salaries aren’t insignificant, either. Sheesh.

I blame Hansen Yang. Who by the way is a major long-term project that played 298 absolutely terrible minutes this season. And Mara is slower. Taller, yes, but even slower.

[JMAC3]

The truth is this draft class is pretty overrated, so it isn't even that much of a challenge to have him as a lottery talent. Once you get to 7/8th in the class really anyone can be ranked anywhere for the most part.

For instance I am not overly high on Mara, Yaxel, Swain, Graves or Peat... but it is hard to find better prospects in this class that pushes them out of the top 20.

Even the top of the class is pretty underwhelming to me once you dive in.

[Ferulci]

I pray that Bulls aren't drafting him with 9-ish pick.

[BlazersBroncos]

The truth is this draft class is pretty overrated, so it isn't even that much of a challenge to have him as a lottery talent. Once you get to 7/8th in the class really anyone can be ranked anywhere for the most part.

For instance I am not overly high on Mara, Yaxel, Swain, Graves or Peat... but it is hard to find better prospects in this class that pushes them out of the top 20.

Even the top of the class is pretty underwhelming to me once you dive in.

Ya I am convinced the talking heads just repeated generational draft enough times that no one has really noticed how bad this class is.

Yes, the Top-4/5 (I put Wagler in that group personally to make it 5) is special. But none of them are the level of prospect that Flagg was, and after that group the class really isnt special. I liked the FR talent overall (IE top to bottom) much more last season. I for example would take Coward 6th this year most likely - and he went 11 last season.

There is some nice developmental big man depth and a few 1-dimenesional shooters I like in R2 but the body of the 1st round this year is not good.

[NO-KG-AI]

The truth is this draft class is pretty overrated, so it isn't even that much of a challenge to have him as a lottery talent. Once you get to 7/8th in the class really anyone can be ranked anywhere for the most part.

For instance I am not overly high on Mara, Yaxel, Swain, Graves or Peat... but it is hard to find better prospects in this class that pushes them out of the top 20.

Even the top of the class is pretty underwhelming to me once you dive in.

I kinda thought I was crazy, but felt the same. Like right inside and outside the top 10 I was looking at guys slated to go there and couldn’t say I was super excited about any of them.

[Chuck Everett]

The truth is this draft class is pretty overrated, so it isn't even that much of a challenge to have him as a lottery talent. Once you get to 7/8th in the class really anyone can be ranked anywhere for the most part.

For instance I am not overly high on Mara, Yaxel, Swain, Graves or Peat... but it is hard to find better prospects in this class that pushes them out of the top 20.

Even the top of the class is pretty underwhelming to me once you dive in.

I kinda thought I was crazy, but felt the same. Like right inside and outside the top 10 I was looking at guys slated to go there and couldn’t say I was super excited about any of them.

It's because this draft there are too many guards and many of them are one-dimensional. Does the NBA really lack for guards right now? A guy like Daniss Jenkins can come out of the G-League and earn a deal with stellar play for a 60-win team. Colin Gillespie goes from journeyman to value contributor after some development.

This draft needs those swing/big forwards to be good. They have way more chances to add value to a team. The Warriors have like 11 guards out of 18 players. Kings were similar roster wise before making trades.