OKC Thunder Rookie Aday Mara Stars for Spain in FIBA Competition

Oklahoma City's top pick from the 2026 NBA Draft had a strong showing on Monday, Aug. 31.

Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) with fans after the National Championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Following a loss in the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn't make any big additions over the offseason.

The only new pieces on OKC's roster are a pair of players that Sam Presti and company selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft to replenish the team's stockpile of young talent.

With the team's top pick, No. 12 overall, the Thunder drafted former Michigan big man Aday Mara.

In the 2026 Summer League, Mara had a few encouraging performances, but also struggled at times. As a result, some observers questioned if the Spanish center could make an impact for Oklahoma City, but a recent outing from the 21-year-old may have eased some of those concerns.

On Monday, Aug. 31, Mara suited up for the Spanish national team in FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers. Spain fell 108-106 at the hands of Greece, but Mara played well, finishing with 15 points, 13 rebounds, an assist, a block, five fouls and two turnovers in more than 25 minutes off the bench.

Mara shot 5-of-7 from the field and 5-of-7 from the free throw line, finishing as a +6 in the box score despite Spain's two-point loss. The Thunder rookie played alongside former NBA players Juancho and Willy Hernangomez, as well as fellow 2026 NBA Draft picks Sergio de Larrea and Baba Miller.

Mara was also Spain's third-highest scorer behind Joel Parra, who finished with 18 points, and Mario Saint-Supery, who notched 16 points.

After an up-and-down Summer League showing, Mara's performance on the international stage should indicate that the young big man is ready to be a helpful addition to the Thunder's roster early in his career.

At the Las Vegas Summer League, Mara averaged 8.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, a block three turnovers and 2.3 fouls per game while shooting 66.7% from the field across three contests. Some observers noted concerns about Mara's conditioning during the Summer League, highlighting that the 7-foot-3 big man looked tired or wasn't able to stay on the court for long stretches.

Mara's conditioning didn't seem to be an issue against Greece, though, which should be a good sign for the former Wolverines' standout as he enters his rookie year with the Thunder.

Originally from Spain, Mara began his college career with two seasons at UCLA before transferring to Michigan for his junior year.

With the Wolverines, Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 66.8% from the field. With Mara, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, anchoring Michigan's defense, Dusty May's team won a national championship in 2026.