Aday Mara, the Michigan center who just won a national championship, is being linked to the Brooklyn Nets in the lottery portion of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Mara is a fascinating prospect. The 7-foot-3 Spanish big man transferred from UCLA to Michigan and immediately gave the Wolverines the rim protection and finishing presence they needed to win a national title. His shot blocking and passing out of the post made Michigan’s offense and defense both better.
The Nets are in a weird spot. They have multiple first-round picks in 2026 thanks to past trades. They are in full rebuild mode. They need everything: a star, depth, defense, ball-handling, shooting. Mara would not be a top-five pick, but he is exactly the kind of value play a team like Brooklyn should be making in the late lottery.
What makes Mara interesting is the combination of size, skill and feel. He is a true 7-foot-3 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan. He can block shots without leaving the floor. He has soft hands. He passes well out of the post and the short roll. He is a good positional defender.
The questions are real. He is not a stretch big. He does not shoot threes. His foot speed in space is below NBA average. He is not the kind of guy you want switching onto a guard in pick and roll. In a modern NBA that values switchable bigs who can shoot, Mara is a step behind.
But there is still value in being a real seven-footer who protects the rim and finishes lobs. The Nets do not have anyone like that on their roster. Nic Claxton has been the closest thing, and he is a long-shot to still be in Brooklyn by the end of 2026.
Mara’s stock is volatile. Mock drafts have him going anywhere from the late lottery to the mid-first round. The team that ends up with him gets a player with All-Star upside if his motor and conditioning improve, and a solid rotation big if they do not.
The Nets have been criticized for years for not having a defined identity. Drafting Mara would be a small step toward becoming a real defensive team. Pair him with the right wing defenders and you can build a competitive roster around the perimeter.
The other team to watch here is Phoenix. The Suns are in cap chaos and could use a cheap rookie big. Detroit has also been mentioned. Aday’s draft night could come down to which front office trusts his size and feel more than they fear his lack of perimeter skill.
Brooklyn fans should be hoping he is on the board. Mara is the kind of player who looks better in three years than he does on draft night. The Nets need exactly that bet.
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.
