OKC Thunder Rookie Will Meet National Championship Teammate Early On

Oklahoma City's Aday Mara meets one of his Michigan teammates early in the 2026-27 season.

Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Draft prospects Morez Johnson Jr. (left to right) Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg pose for photos on the red carpet before the 2026 NBA draft at Barclays Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NBA released its full 2026-27 season schedule on Thursday, Aug. 13, and Oklahoma City should be set for an intriguing slate of contests.

After winning more than 60 games for the second consecutive season, the Thunder will play on the NBA's opening night, traveling to San Antonio for a nightcap against the Spurs, and on Christmas against the new-look Minnesota Timberwolves.

Mark Daigneault's team will play on consecutive days 13 times, and is set for 30 nationally televised matchup, trailing only the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks, for the most of any team in the NBA.

In addition to the team's marquee matchups, there are multiple dates that feature the trio of players OKC traded during the 2026 offseason facing their former team.

One of the Thunder's 2026 NBA Draft picks will also square off against one of his former teammates early in Oklahoma City's upcoming campaign.

Aday Mara, who helped Michigan win the NCAA championship in 2026, is set to take on former Wolverines teammate Morez Johnson Jr. at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in Dallas. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN.

Mara was OKC's top pick in the 2026 class, selected No. 12 overall, after Johnson was picked by the Mavericks at No. 8, and fellow Wolverines' star Yaxel Lendeborg was picked by the Golden State Warriors at No. 11.

The former Michigan big man joins Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams and Thomas Sorber in the Thunder's frontcourt rotation, and offers a massive frame that Daigneault's team didn't previous have on the roster.

Mara measured 7-foot-3 without shoes at the NBA Combine, recording a 7-foot-6 wingspan. As a junior at Michigan, the former UCLA transfer averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 blocks per game.

The 21-year-old struggled at times during the 2026 Summer League, though, averaging 8.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a block per game across three contests in Las Vegas.

Early in the season, Mara may not be a significant part of the Thunder's rotation yet, but there is still a solid chance he earns a few minutes against the Mavericks in his first matchup against Johnson.

Dallas is also led by head coach Dusty May, who was previously at the helm for the Wolverines' team that took home an NCAA title in 2026.

Mara will have to wait until 2027 to meet Lendeborg on the court, as the first matchup between OKC and Golden State is slated for Sunday, Jan. 24, at 5:30 p.m. from the Chase Center and airing on NBC.