Aday Mara just won a national title at Michigan. The next chapter might be in Brooklyn.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports reported that the former Michigan center has been linked to the Brooklyn Nets by “multiple league sources” ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft. The Nets currently hold the No. 6 overall pick, which sits in a sweet spot for a player like Mara. He is not quite a top-five talent, but he is well inside the first-round range, and the Nets need a real center.
Mara is a seven-foot-three Spanish big man who became one of the most productive centers in college basketball as a junior. He averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game on his way to Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was the anchor of a Michigan team that ran through the NCAA Tournament and cut down the nets in April.
What makes Mara a draftable pro is the combination of size and skill that you basically never see together. He is built like a traditional rim-protecting center, but he passes the ball like a guard. His vision out of the post and as a high-post hub is at a level very few seven-footers ever reach. He also finishes around the rim, blocks shots without leaving his feet, and rebounds outside his area.
The Nets are a logical fit for several reasons. Brooklyn needs a long-term center. Their current frontcourt is a patchwork of older guys and small-ball lineups that work only against certain matchups. Adding Mara gives them an anchor who can grow with the rest of their young core. The Nets also have the runway to develop him without rushing him into the spotlight, which is exactly what a 21-year-old international big man needs.
The combine helped Mara’s stock as much as anyone’s. He measured well, moved better than scouts expected, and held his own in skill drills. The CBS Sports big board has him climbing into the back end of the lottery, and Bleacher Report sees him as a high-floor pick in the 6 to 11 range.
The risk is the same risk every Mara pick comes with. He is not a vertical athlete. His foot speed in space is limited. NBA pick-and-roll defense requires centers to switch onto guards or recover quickly in drop coverage. Mara is going to struggle with the modern five-out spacing that the league has built itself around.
But you can scheme around that. Mike Conley-era Memphis used Marc Gasol the same way teams will eventually use Mara. You let him be the hub. You ask him to defend in scheme rather than in isolation. You build a team that maximizes his rebounding, passing, and shot-blocking and protects him on the perimeter.
The Nets are not the only team in this conversation. Mara has been linked to a couple of teams in the late-lottery and mid-first range. Some scouts think he could fall to the second round if teams overweight the athletic concerns. Other scouts have him as a top-10 lock because of his title pedigree, college production, and skill set.
The 2026 NBA Draft is in Brooklyn on June 23 and 24, which would give the home fans a chance to applaud their newest center as he walks across the stage. That kind of moment matters for a young player coming into a market like New York.
For now, the link is just a link. League sources are league sources, and pre-draft chatter changes daily. But if you are looking for a name to remember when the Nets are on the clock at No. 6, Aday Mara should be at the top of your list.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
