Oklahoma City didn’t draft a 7-foot-3 center just to stash him on the bench and hope for the best. But Aday Mara knows the Thunder’s Summer League roster is still figuring out how to play with a giant. And he’s trying to speed that process up.
The No. 12 pick in the NBA Draft made his Summer League debut against Memphis on Sunday. The score wasn’t pretty — a 111-74 loss — but Mara put together a solid stat line: 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, four assists, three rebounds and two blocks in 22 minutes. He also had three turnovers, and that part points to the bigger issue.
Chemistry doesn’t happen overnight. Especially when one guy is that much taller than everyone else.
“It’s an adjustment for everyone,” Mara said, according to The Oklahoman’s Justin Martinez. “I’m just trying to tell them on the defensive side, everything that goes through the paint, just let me get it. Same thing with the lobs. If you see me down there, you can just throw it and I will catch it. But it’s our fifth day together, so we’re just trying to figure it out.”
That kind of communication is exactly what you want to hear from a rookie. But getting the Thunder’s guards to trust him in traffic — that’ll take reps. And Mara seems patient about that.
The Spaniard arrived with a specific label attached: the Victor Wembanyama stopper. That came with the draft pick, naturally. But his role in OKC was never going to be that narrow. He’s not just insurance against San Antonio’s 7-foot-4 star. The Thunder see a two-way big who can protect the rim, catch lobs and maybe even make a few plays for others.
Mara’s path to the NBA wasn’t a straight line. He spent two seasons at UCLA, where things didn’t quite click the way anyone expected. Then he transferred to Michigan and played under Dusty May, winning a national championship in 2026 and earning All-Big Ten and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. That jump from college struggle to college star is probably what convinced OKC he could handle the adaptation to the pros.
The physicality stood out to him right away. But he didn’t sound rattled.
“You can feel it,” Mara said about the increased contact. “But you just have to stay patient and keep learning.”
This Summer League stretch is about getting comfortable. Not just with the game speed but with his teammates and their tendencies. If Mara keeps telling them to throw the ball near the rim and trust him to grab it, that trust should build fast. His next chance comes Monday night against Atlanta.
The Thunder aren’t in a rush. But if Mara keeps making plays like he did Sunday, he might make that decision for them.
Leave a Comment