Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti introduced three rookies to the media on Friday, but one name dominated the conversation. Aday Mara, the 7-foot-3 center taken 12th overall in June’s draft, carries a specific kind of weight for a franchise that just watched its season end against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
Presti didn’t dance around the rationale. He talked about rim protection and modern NBA offenses that force defenders to process chaos in real time. Mara won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year at UCLA, and his wingspan alone changes how teams attack the paint. But Presti was careful not to frame the pick as a direct answer to Wembanyama, even if everyone in the room understood the subtext.
“I think everybody understands in the world that we live in today, in the modern NBA, and the value of rim protection,” Presti said. “But also, I think, the ability to think on the floor quickly, and react to different situations because the offenses are so random. Somebody that can cover that kind of ground, but is a great communicator with his teammates, puts himself in situations to deter things, not just to get the statistic. That’s where our defensive system really comes into play.”
Presti added that Mara’s development will be a slow, steady process. The Thunder already have two seven-foot starters in Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Mara won’t be asked to carry the frontcourt right away. But his skill set is rare enough that Presti broke from his usual draft philosophy to grab him.
“For us, we’re always focused on internalizing what will make us the best team. Not necessarily trying to follow whatever the league is doing,” Presti said. “Relative to his skillset, it’s very rare to have somebody with that type of feel for the game that also presents a level of rim protection. There’s usually trade-offs. That package doesn’t come together very often.”
Mara already being eyed as a Wembanyama deterrent
It’s not hard to connect the dots. Wembanyama averaged 28 points and 12 rebounds in that series, and the Thunder had no answer without injured forwards Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. Mara, despite being a rookie, enters the league with the kind of defensive instincts that could eventually make him a primary option against the Spurs superstar.
Mara seems aware of the expectations. He also seems smart enough to focus on the bigger picture.
“I’m excited to just go through the process. It’s going to be an adjustment — college and the NBA, there’s a big difference,” Mara said. “But coming with this group, playing with great players, it’s going to be a really good thing for me. Playing at my best level every day. I’m excited for that.”
Presti and the Thunder will get their first real look at Mara during summer league, which tips off July 4 in Salt Lake City. That’s where the slow and steady approach officially begins.
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