Atlanta Hawks 2026 NBA Draft Profile - Michigan Center Aday Mara

After the season that the Atlanta Hawks had, there is no question that they overachieved, as they went farther than most expected in the second half. Despite being a team that had high expectations to start the season, the Hawks would eventually dip and fall out of mind for most NBA fans and media.

However, the Hawks would make a trade that would eventually turn around their season, which eventually led to them making the playoffs. During the playoffs, the Hawks' most glaring problem got exposed, which was that they were without a true franchise big man who could play long stretches of a playoff series to make a consistent difference for Atlanta off the bench.

While Onyeka Okongwu played decently, it wasn't enough to solidify him as the franchise's big man, and outside of him, there wasn't much else the Hawks could go to. Now, Atlanta has the opportunity to find a franchise-altering center that can make a potential major difference in the near future.

The one name that comes to mind right away is Aday Mara out of Michigan. Let's take a look at some of Mara's strengths, weaknesses, and overall fit with Atlanta.

Strengths

Michigan Center Aday Mar — Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) reacts after a play against the UConn Huskies during the first half in the national championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament between the and the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

A skilled center who stands at 7-foot-3 inches tall and is versatile, Mara has the tools to be a two-way anchor. What pops out right away about Mara is his overall size, as he has a 7'6 wingspan and a 9'9 standing reach that ties for the second-longest in NBA Draft Combine history.

Skills-wise, Mara has elite passing vision for a seven-footer and uses this to his advantage with active teammates who shoot, cut, and play inside the paint. What works best for Mara as a playmaker is his ability to remain patient and process what the defense is doing to make plays in the low post and from the elbow.

Mara is also known for his ability to score with ease at the rim, using hook shots, dunks, and a soft touch on his floater.

Defensively, Mara is known to use his frame to his advantage, as he is able to consistently time blocked shots and make players struggle coming inside the paint based on his presence alone. With Mara playing inside, he can force difficult shots for opposing teams and has tremendous defensive plus-minus numbers.

Weaknesses

While Mara possesses a lot of talent, he does have some weaknesses that stand out. Firstly, due to his size, Mara is a bit slow, which makes him an easy target in the pick-and-roll on the perimeter.

Another issue that comes from Mara's size is his physical toughness, as he is known to struggle with heavy players inside the paint and with defensive rebounding.

Offensively, Mara struggles when being asked to be a self-creator at times and to be a consistent floor spacer, which is now the norm for NBA big men. If someone isn't setting Mara up offensively, he tends to struggle to be reliable and to shoot free throws.

In the late game, teams could opt to take a hacking approach to slow Mara and his team down due to his inefficient free-throw shooting.

Season Averages: 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.6 blocks. Shooting Splits: 66.8% field goal, 30% three-point, and 56.4% free throw.

Overall Fit

For Atlanta, this is the archetype that they've been missing and has the overall skill set to sure up many of the issues they've been having. Specifically, his shot blocking, paint scoring efficiency, floor spacing, and passing.

Despite some of Mara's speed and perimeter defensive issues, Atlanta has enough to make up for those shortcomings defensively with both Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels on the perimeter. Offensively, Mara could work well in Atlanta's motion offense due to his size and playmaking abilities, making himself and the team a tough cover.

Comparison-wise, Mara fits the mold of a Marc Gasol, who is looked at as a future NBA Hall of Famer. To put things in perspective, Gasol was a three-time NBA All-Star, a Defensive Player of the Year, an NBA Champion, and a two-time All-NBA player.

If Mara could play to this potential, the future could be special for Atlanta.

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