Aday Mara got the last laugh. After two seasons with the UCLA Bruins, where Mara spent most of his time on the bench, Mara headed to the Michigan Wolverines, became a national champion and then became an NBA lottery pick.
The Oklahoma City Thunder snatched the 7’3” center with the 12th overall pick, instantly putting Mara onto a title contender. Mara showed what he could do on a winning team last year, where he won the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Mara didn’t only make an impact on the defensive side of the ball, scoring 12.1 points per game and bringing down 6.8 rebounds. UCLA couldn’t bring that out of Mara, with the center playing 61 games as a Bruin but only cracked the starting five one time.
There were certainly flashes during Mara’s UCLA career, he put up 6.4 points and 1.6 blocks per game as a sophomore despite playing just 13.0 minutes per game. USA TODAY writer Bryan Kalbroksky gave the Mara selection an ‘A’ grade.
“The Thunder got someone who should fit perfectly with their franchise identity with big man Aday Mara, offering a low usage rate but significant upside with a higher assist percentage,” Kalbroksky said. “The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year has deterred opponents from even attempting anything near the basket when he is on the court. While he might only play short spurts for Oklahoma City, every team could use more frontcourt depth, and he should provide valuable minutes whenever he is on the floor for the Thunder.”
Now Mara goes into a role with the Thunder where he won’t be needed right away. The Thunder center rotation features Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams and Chet Holmgren, with the reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt for Oklahoma City.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Aday Mara selected 12th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire | USA TODAY Network
