Skip Bayless Thinks OKC Just Found the Answer to Victor Wembanyama

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been busy this offseason. They shipped Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta to trim the luxury tax bill, sure. But the bigger story might be what they did with the 12th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

They took Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 center from Michigan. And Skip Bayless has a theory about it.

“Thunder just drafted an antidote for Wemby, a defender who can look him in the eye,” Bayless posted on X. The tweet came with a clip of Mara blocking shots in college, and it got people talking.

Why Mara Makes Sense

The Thunder just went through a Western Conference Finals against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. It did not go great for the OKC frontcourt. Chet Holmgren is good, but he got overpowered. Isaiah Hartenstein tried to get physical with Wemby. Alex Caruso, giving up about a foot, had to take shifts guarding him. That is not a long-term plan.

Wembanyama averaged 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in that series while shooting 48 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the line. There were stretches where he looked unguardable.

But the Knicks showed in the NBA Finals that Wembanyama has holes. He struggles against guys with a low center of gravity. His handle is not tight enough to create off the dribble on the perimeter consistently. Mara entered the draft as one of the best shot-blocking prospects in recent years. He is not a finished product offensively, but that is not why OKC drafted him.

Wembanyama’s Weaknesses

The Spurs star is not invincible. The Knicks threw different bodies at him in the Finals — bigger guys, smaller quick guys, double teams from odd angles — and it worked for stretches. Mara could at least make things difficult in the paint. He has the length to contest without fouling, and he moves well for his size.

The Thunder know they have to go through San Antonio to win another title. This pick is a direct response to that matchup.

Whether Mara actually becomes that guy is another question. But the intention is clear. OKC is not waiting around.