Aday Mara (2005) - the spanish freak?

Notanoob · Post #141 » by **Notanoob** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 10:33 pm

I get that his lateral quickness is less than ideal, but I think he's mobile enough to play. His free throw shooting seems to have been fixed on the back half of the season and he's one of the few humans on earth tall enough to have any hope of contesting Wemby. I think this thread is too low on him. His strengths as a rim protector and passer are just too good to ignore.

FarBeyondDriven · Post #142 » by **FarBeyondDriven** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 11:14 pm

Chuck Everett wrote:
NO-KG-AI wrote:
JMAC3 wrote: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.

it has those wings/big forwards though. And it doesn't just have lead guards, the guards at the top are potential heliocentric types. The kind of guards that end up making all-nba teams. The only negative is potentially losing too many of these guys to NIL but that's the new normal apparently. This could harm the depth of this class considerably which would just lower it from all-time (1984, 1996) to just great (2017, 2018 and 2021)

sisibilio · Post #143 » by **sisibilio** » Thu Apr 16, 2026 9:04 pm

Read on Twitter

BigGargamel · Post #144 » by **BigGargamel** » Sun Apr 19, 2026 5:25 pm

It makes sense. People are always going to be enamored with size. This draft is littered with talented guards, but the big man class is underwhelming. If Hensen Yang can be a top 17 pick, Mara can definitely go lottery.

babyjax13 · Post #145 » by **babyjax13** » Sun Apr 19, 2026 6:19 pm

I don't believe teams are that high on him.

darbstar · Post #146 » by **darbstar** » Mon Apr 20, 2026 11:09 am

I just watched some of his highlights and Andrew bogut came to mind

Does anyone else see the similarities? Bogut was a fantastic passing big man who became all nba level defensive centre over time

JMAC3 · Post #147 » by **JMAC3** » Thu May 7, 2026 8:34 pm

Why is he any different than Hasheem Thabeet?

Thabeet was a better player in college as a freshman and sophomore than Mara. Was an elite shot blocker just like Mara at 7-3 and had the same career efg% and was a better FT shooter than Mara.

ReggiesKnicks · Post #148 » by **ReggiesKnicks** » Thu May 7, 2026 9:14 pm

JMAC3 wrote:Why is he any different than Hasheem Thabeet?

Thabeet was a better player in college as a freshman and sophomore than Mara. Was an elite shot blocker just like Mara at 7-3 and had the same career efg% and was a better FT shooter than Mara.

Hasheem Thabeet was a good prospect but failed in the NBA due to a multitude of reasons, but cultural assimilation, work ethic and passion for basketball were part of his failure(s).

Thabeet never improved at basketball from the Age of 20 to the Age of 26.

Your post reads as if you are high on Mara as a prospect. Hasheem Thabeet with a strong work ethic, ability to assimilate and a passion for playing and loving basketball is a player with a long NBA career.

JMAC3 · Post #149 » by **JMAC3** » Thu May 7, 2026 9:31 pm

ReggiesKnicks wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:Why is he any different than Hasheem Thabeet?

Thabeet was a better player in college as a freshman and sophomore than Mara. Was an elite shot blocker just like Mara at 7-3 and had the same career efg% and was a better FT shooter than Mara.

Hasheem Thabeet was a good prospect but failed in the NBA due to a multitude of reasons, but cultural assimilation, work ethic and passion for basketball were part of his failure(s).

Thabeet never improved at basketball from the Age of 20 to the Age of 26.

Your post reads as if you are high on Mara as a prospect. Hasheem Thabeet with a strong work ethic, ability to assimilate and a passion for playing and loving basketball is a player with a long NBA career.

I think this is pretty inaccurate, you don't go from being undrafted as a freshman to being an All American as a junior and being selected #2 in the draft if the view is you never improved as a player.

Also, hard to sell me Mara has great work ethic, passion and is a guaranteed fit to culturally assimilate after being a non factor for his first 2 years in college basketball at 7-3.

Up to this point I would say Mara and Thabeet have pretty similar improvement arcs in college.

azcatz11 · Post #150 » by **azcatz11** » Fri May 8, 2026 3:39 am

JMAC3 wrote:Why is he any different than Hasheem Thabeet?

Thabeet was a better player in college as a freshman and sophomore than Mara. Was an elite shot blocker just like Mara at 7-3 and had the same career efg% and was a better FT shooter than Mara.

I think I found the perfect comp for him. Christian Koloko. They have identical numbers also their last year of college.

Skybox · Post #151 » by **Skybox** » Sun May 10, 2026 2:36 pm

I didn't think Walker Kessler's game would translate to the NBA. Same with Edey. Wrong on both - Kessler is my favorite trade target (with no hope of success). Young Steven Adams would be awesome in today's possession game...tell me why Mara is less likely to play similarly?

I only watched a couple of Michigan games and Mara looked like he was wearing cement shoes to me.

JMAC3 · Post #152 » by **JMAC3** » Sun May 10, 2026 3:59 pm

Skybox wrote:I didn't think Walker Kessler's game would translate to the NBA. Same with Edey. Wrong on both - Kessler is my favorite trade target (with no hope of success). Young Steven Adams would be awesome in today's possession game...tell me why Mara is less likely to play similarly?

I only watched a couple of Michigan games and Mara looked like he was wearing cement shoes to me.

Freshman Stats
Adams- 23.4 mpg, 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Edey- 15 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Kessler- 8.8 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Mara- 9.6 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Sophomore Stats
Edey- 19 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Kessler- 25.6 mpg, 11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg
Mara- 13.1 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4 rpg

Junior Stats
Edey- 31.7 mpg 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Mara- 23.4 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Well Mara has been less productive than all of them at the same career stages.

Skybox · Post #153 » by **Skybox** » Sun May 10, 2026 4:53 pm

JMAC3 wrote:
Skybox wrote:I didn't think Walker Kessler's game would translate to the NBA. Same with Edey. Wrong on both - Kessler is my favorite trade target (with no hope of success). Young Steven Adams would be awesome in today's possession game...tell me why Mara is less likely to play similarly?

I only watched a couple of Michigan games and Mara looked like he was wearing cement shoes to me.

Freshman Stats
Adams- 23.4 mpg, 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Edey- 15 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Kessler- 8.8 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Mara- 9.6 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Sophomore Stats
Edey- 19 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Kessler- 25.6 mpg, 11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg
Mara- 13.1 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4 rpg

Junior Stats
Edey- 31.7 mpg 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Mara- 23.4 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Well Mara has been less productive than all of them at the same career stages.

Mara is also on a national champ team with TWO other bigs mocked in the first round

tmorgan · Post #154 » by **tmorgan** » Sun May 10, 2026 8:32 pm

Skybox wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:
Skybox wrote:I didn't think Walker Kessler's game would translate to the NBA. Same with Edey. Wrong on both - Kessler is my favorite trade target (with no hope of success). Young Steven Adams would be awesome in today's possession game...tell me why Mara is less likely to play similarly?

I only watched a couple of Michigan games and Mara looked like he was wearing cement shoes to me.

Freshman Stats
Adams- 23.4 mpg, 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Edey- 15 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Kessler- 8.8 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Mara- 9.6 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Sophomore Stats
Edey- 19 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Kessler- 25.6 mpg, 11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg
Mara- 13.1 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4 rpg

Junior Stats
Edey- 31.7 mpg 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Mara- 23.4 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Well Mara has been less productive than all of them at the same career stages.

Mara is also on a national champ team with TWO other bigs mocked in the first round

Okay, but if that’s supposed to be positive (ie it reduced his numbers), what about the negative? With at least one guy out there with him all the time that drew a lot of attention, Mara faced a lot of single coverage. And since those guys could shoot, there was a ton of space in the paint area to operate.

Edey, for example, got swarmed all the time unless the opposing team had someone good enough to kinda contain him in single coverage (Clingan).

Skybox · Post #155 » by **Skybox** » Sun May 10, 2026 8:46 pm

tmorgan wrote:
Skybox wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:
Freshman Stats
Adams- 23.4 mpg, 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Edey- 15 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Kessler- 8.8 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Mara- 9.6 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Sophomore Stats
Edey- 19 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Kessler- 25.6 mpg, 11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg
Mara- 13.1 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4 rpg

Junior Stats
Edey- 31.7 mpg 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Mara- 23.4 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Well Mara has been less productive than all of them at the same career stages.

Mara is also on a national champ team with TWO other bigs mocked in the first round

Okay, but if that’s supposed to be positive (ie it reduced his numbers), what about the negative? With at least one guy out there with him all the time that drew a lot of attention, Mara faced a lot of single coverage. And since those guys could shoot, there was a ton of space in the paint area to operate.

Edey, for example, got swarmed all the time unless the opposing team had someone good enough to kinda contain him in single coverage (Clingan).

Mostly interested in going beyond the stats and certainly not debating them...lots of guys DESTROY in the G-League. What do we think of his pro upside?

JMAC3 · Post #156 » by **JMAC3** » Sun May 10, 2026 9:26 pm

Skybox wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:
Skybox wrote:I didn't think Walker Kessler's game would translate to the NBA. Same with Edey. Wrong on both - Kessler is my favorite trade target (with no hope of success). Young Steven Adams would be awesome in today's possession game...tell me why Mara is less likely to play similarly?

I only watched a couple of Michigan games and Mara looked like he was wearing cement shoes to me.

Freshman Stats
Adams- 23.4 mpg, 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Edey- 15 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Kessler- 8.8 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Mara- 9.6 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Sophomore Stats
Edey- 19 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Kessler- 25.6 mpg, 11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg
Mara- 13.1 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4 rpg

Junior Stats
Edey- 31.7 mpg 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Mara- 23.4 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Well Mara has been less productive than all of them at the same career stages.

Mara is also on a national champ team with TWO other bigs mocked in the first round

And what about the two years in college at UCLA where he played behind guys that aren't expected to even get drafted?

Are we taking JP Estrella lottery next year too if he breaks out at Michigan too?

Skybox · Post #157 » by **Skybox** » Mon May 11, 2026 12:24 am

JMAC3 wrote:
Skybox wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:
Freshman Stats
Adams- 23.4 mpg, 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Edey- 15 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
Kessler- 8.8 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Mara- 9.6 mpg, 3.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Sophomore Stats
Edey- 19 mpg, 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Kessler- 25.6 mpg, 11.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg
Mara- 13.1 mpg, 6.4 ppg, 4 rpg

Junior Stats
Edey- 31.7 mpg 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg
Mara- 23.4 mpg, 12.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Well Mara has been less productive than all of them at the same career stages.

Mara is also on a national champ team with TWO other bigs mocked in the first round

And what about the two years in college at UCLA where he played behind guys that aren't expected to even get drafted?

Are we taking JP Estrella lottery next year too if he breaks out at Michigan too?

Is every interaction combat with you? I don't care...just want to know if the guy is good

TheSuzerain · Post #158 » by **TheSuzerain** » Mon May 11, 2026 2:09 am

Sneaky part of his profile is that he was already elite as a sophomore per the composite metrics.

JMAC3 · Post #159 » by **JMAC3** » Mon May 11, 2026 5:40 am

Skybox wrote:
JMAC3 wrote:
Skybox wrote:
Mara is also on a national champ team with TWO other bigs mocked in the first round

And what about the two years in college at UCLA where he played behind guys that aren't expected to even get drafted?

Are we taking JP Estrella lottery next year too if he breaks out at Michigan too?

Is every interaction combat with you? I don't care...just want to know if the guy is good

Skybox wrote:tell me why Mara is less likely to play similarly?

Don't ask the question if you actually don't want to have a conversation. If you just want people who are going to confirm he is good and ignore anything that could cause doubts then go read the Michigan Reddit page about how great he is lol

King Ken · Post #160 » by **King Ken** » Mon May 11, 2026 12:02 pm

Skybox wrote:I didn't think Walker Kessler's game would translate to the NBA. Same with Edey. Wrong on both - Kessler is my favorite trade target (with no hope of success). Young Steven Adams would be awesome in today's possession game...tell me why Mara is less likely to play similarly?

I only watched a couple of Michigan games and Mara looked like he was wearing cement shoes to me.

I felt both of their games would translate. I am not as high on Mara. The passing is legit but the defense is where I worry. He's a tremendous paint protector as are most guys his size and length but his post defense and rim protection can be iffy. Lateral movement isn't the greatest and I am really not sold on his shooting at all. His feel for the game and passing is what you like about this guy but I wouldn't have taken him ahead of

Clingan
Edey
Ware
Missi
In their class.

I wouldn't have taken him over anyone last year but maybe Raynaud and that would be so close and Raynaud went in the 2nd round as did Kalkbrenner.

I just think you can do better drafting Reed in the last 1st than drafting Mara anywhere around the lottery. I like Mara more than Reed. Next year's center class is better anyway.