NBA Draft

Looking at the Future: Aday Mara

The massive Spanish big has earned a spot in the competitive Liga ACB at just 17 years old. What does it mean for his NBA translation?

Ignacio Rissotto

Looking at the Future: Aday Mara
Looking at the Future: Aday Mara /

As the top domestic league in Europe, the Spanish ACB is not always the friendliest environment for young players who are looking for developmental minutes. The high level of competition pushes coaches to play only those prospects who can add value and contribute to winning right now, which can be a hurdle for young players who will certainly make mistakes as part of their learning experience.

Earning playing time, however, hasn’t been an issue for Aday Mara who at 17 years of age has transitioned seamlessly from youth team stand out to pro-level contributor, earning a spot on Zaragoza’s rotation due to his efficiency and productivity. The young big is averaging 5.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in just 10.3 minutes per game.

With his productivity in one of the top leagues of the world, NBA scouts will undoubtedly be watching Mara and his development ahead of the 2024 Draft, however, what does his productivity on limited minutes at the ACB level mean in regards to his NBA profile?

Physical Profile

Mara has truly elite physical tools, having been measured at 7-foot-2 with a near 7-foot-7 wingspan at the most recent Basketball Without Borders Global Camp in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mara’s frame has filled out nicely in the past couple of years as well, now weighing 242 pounds.

When it comes to mobility and athleticism, Mara is coordinated for his size but he lacks an elite level of quickness, which makes it hard for him to change directions and turn his hips. In the same vein, while he has enough leaping ability to play at the rim with relative ease, he’s not exactly quick or powerful to elevate, relying more on his length than explosiveness to make an impact in the paint.

Catch-and-Finish Scoring

Due to his physical profile, Mara is a threat in situations where he’s able to catch the ball close to the basket, as he can use his size and length to finish over opponents. In pick-and-roll scenarios, Mara sets hard screens which take opponents out of plays, then rolls to the basket with good momentum to catch and finish lobs.

Much like Victor Wembanyama, Mara generates a level of gravity whenever he’s at the dunker spot, which leaves interior defenders at a disadvantage every time there’s dribble penetration: if they don’t help off Mara they give up an open layup, but if they help Mara will simply finish over them with a powerful dunk.

Similarities with Wembanyama as an interior finisher end there, as Mara doesn’t possess Victor’s otherworldly ability to catch anything in his general vicinity. Mara is not always able to keep control of the ball after catching a pass, having a tendency to get the ball poked away or stolen when he brings it below his shoulders.

Interior Self-Creation

Mara doesn’t rely solely on his physical tools to make an impact on offense, as he shows an impressive level of footwork and touch in post-up situations. The 17-year-old is able to establish deep position in the paint more often than not, overpowering opposing post defenders with his sheer size.

Once he catches the ball inside, Mara is patient and comfortable operating in traffic. He’s willing to put the ball on the floor and to establish a more advantageous position and find the open space in the paint, using convincing fakes to get defenders off-balance.

His level of touch and polish as a finisher is outstanding for his age, as he already has a repertoire of hook shots and floaters that he utilizes to convert difficult shots against defensive pressure in the paint. He also shows range in these types of finishes, being an occasional threat in the mid and high-post areas.

Defending Inside and Out

Mara’s blend of size, length and strength make him a productive interior defender, as he’s averaging 2.4 blocks and 7.4 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes at the ACB level, however, some of his limitations in terms of quickness and vertical pop can reduce his defensive impact. He is a solid defender off a standstill but not an explosive rim protector, which limits his block radius and his overall area of influence in the paint.

The biggest area for improvement, however, is his perimeter defense. Mara can have issues switching and defending one-on-one in the perimeter due to his high center of gravity and lack of elite lateral quickness, which makes it hard for him to contain dribble penetration and turn his hips in time.

NBA Questions and Projections

Due to him being a massive center coming out of Europe I can already see a number of people “discovering” Mara in the months leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft and labeling him as “the next Wembanyama” and I want to be perfectly clear: Mara is not the next Wembanyama. Their physical profiles are somewhat similar but their games are not.

If Mara is not the next Victor, then what is he? He’s a player who offers a unique mix of outlier physical tools and polish as an interior scorer. Despite some of his limitations, namely as a perimeter defender, it’s not hard to find upside in Mara’s profile as an offensive center who could also contribute as a rim protector due to his massive size and length.

If he continues with his productivity and efficiency at the ACB level, it shouldn’t be a surprise if he’s one of the top international prospects to hear his name called in the 2024 NBA Draft.

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Ignacio Rissotto
IGNACIO RISSOTTO

Ignacio is a basketball scout currently based in Montevideo, Uruguay. Since 2017 he has worked for multiple outlets (Pro Insight, The Stepien and ID Prospects) covering High School and International prospects.

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