How Aday Mara played his way into the lottery of our latest NBA mock draft
Aday Mara was the biggest winner of March Madness during Michigan’s national championship run, and the NBA took notice.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 04: Aday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on against the Arizona Wildcats in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images Yaxel Lendeborg set a personal goal when Michigan started practice at the very beginning of what would become its 2026 national championship season. He wanted to dunk on new teammate Aday Mara.
“I tried a couple times when I first got here, and he ruined my confidence so quickly,” Lendeborg said after Michigan beat UConn in the title game. Mara had just come over from UCLA after two disappointing seasons where he could barely get off the bench, and his size made him an inviting target for a poster. Standing 7’3 with a reported 7’7 wingspan, the Spanish big man had measurables few humans in the world could match.
Realizing that Mara shouldn’t be challenged at the rim was only one part of the process. As Michigan brought in four new starters via the transfer portal, there was a steep learning curve for everyone when it came to how to maximize their gigantic center. “He’s definitely the most unique big man I’ve ever played with,” Elliott Cadeau told SB Nation ahead of the national championship game.
“It took some time for us to get some chemistry. We talk about the ball screen literally every practice. We’re both really high-IQ players.
Continue to the original source for the full article.