{"id":125,"date":"2026-10-17T12:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/en\/?p=125"},"modified":"2026-10-23T13:42:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T13:42:50","slug":"how-real-is-aday-maras-standout-preseason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/en\/how-real-is-aday-maras-standout-preseason\/","title":{"rendered":"How real is Aday Mara&#8217;s standout preseason?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aday Mara has landed on his feet with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The initial doubts about his fit and how quickly he would adapt to the NBA were answered within just a couple of minutes of his first game, and everything has trended upwards since. Big numbers, efficiency, <em>highlights<\/em>&#8230; In both Spain and the United States he has been one of the sensations of the last two weeks, and nobody hesitates to praise the incredible level he is showing every time he steps onto the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, it always comes with the caveat that &#8220;it&#8217;s only preseason&#8221;. Because however eager people are to ring the bells, however many high-level plays he makes, and however much Mark Daigneault&#8217;s minute distribution suggests he is counted on as part of the rotation, what we are seeing is only a warm-up. None of these games really matter, and positive reviews of his play should always come with a cautionary asterisk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So the big question arises on its own: is this version real? Or will it crumble as soon as a light breeze of competitive basketball blows through?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The truth is that the latter does not seem likely to be the case. OKC&#8217;s preparation games have grown in intensity as the days have passed, and the Spaniard has continued to deliver well beyond expectations. Take the games against the Pacers and Rockets: before the break, they reached a tempo and pressure level that already began to resemble what he will face from Tuesday onwards, and that did not stop us from seeing a Mara who, though less dominant, kept making his presence felt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, what we have seen in this first contact is undeniably not what the centre will have to face once the season truly gets under way. At the very least, not in every respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The big leap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is physically that Aday appears to have made his greatest progress over the summer. In the NCAA he gave the impression of a player who struggled to sustain a high tempo and needed frequent rest on the bench; in the NBA he has surprised friend and foe alike by running the floor end to end and showing very few cracks in this regard. That is a reason for optimism about his potential continued place in Daigneault&#8217;s rotation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/deb37abd-e5c0-6aa7-1784-71c24ed20a60_1280x720.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an NBA that moves at an ever-faster pace, this was an aspect that seemed essential not so much to gain importance, but to be able to survive on the floor at all. His development shows that both he and the Thunder clearly understood it was something to work on. Without this step forward he would not only have been unable to display his strengths, but might not even have earned the opportunities to keep learning. Hence the importance of his progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is by no means the only physical factor where he raised some doubts, but it was the one that most urgently needed addressing. Even if he still has to work on his strength and mobility, the shortcomings he shows in these areas can be compensated to a degree by what he has in height to spare. But tempo is either there or it isn&#8217;t. And if you don&#8217;t have it, this league will run right over you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Rockets showed in the last game that, against genuinely intense opponents, he still visibly wears down and that longer <em>stints <\/em>can be a bit taxing, but the entry barrier is comfortably cleared. That Aday Mara deserves minutes is currently a given, and what there is to watch is what he can do with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Looking for partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the physical side is the element most directly transferable from preseason to the regular season, his offensive game seems the hardest to calibrate based on what we have seen. Some of the Spaniard&#8217;s best stretches have come when he shared the floor with players who will get between zero and few minutes when it matters, giving him a prominent role that he certainly will not have going forward. And that is where it is unclear what he will and won&#8217;t be able to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Receiving handoffs at the top of the key to initiate or distribute the ball, for instance, is a play that is hard to imagine being so frequent once Daigneault plays his true rotation. Even if in his bench role he shares the floor less with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jaylen Williams, secondary ball-handlers such as Ajay Mitchell or Jared McCain will also mean he gets fewer touches and less ball in his hands, forcing him to operate differently and deploy other tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We may therefore see less of the passing Aday Mara who produced such lovely assists against Atlanta, and more of the finishing Aday Mara who, incidentally, has also worked well in these games. What is more, playing alongside higher-calibre partners who pose a greater threat to the defence, we can expect his space for the <em>roll <\/em>and the <em>alley-oop<\/em> to grow, giving him more chances to do what he does best. So even with less of the ball, he will not necessarily have fewer scoring opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/c2c6929e-e7e0-0ecd-0d39-6bff92210b38_1280x720.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything will depend on the chemistry he manages to build with the perimeter players, with whom the relationship could become symbiotic if things go well: the fear of Shai and J-Dub will free up Mara, but in turn, if he establishes himself as a threat on the <em>roll <\/em>(and he has everything it takes to be one), the need to guard that continuation will open doors for the main scorers, who may start looking for him regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last year Hartenstein, his main partner, gave them <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\/players\/hustle?Season=2025-26&amp;TeamID=1610612760&amp;PerMode=Per36\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4.7 <em>screen assists<\/em> per 36 minutes<\/a>; in preseason, Mara is matching that figure without yet having shared the court much with the team&#8217;s big stars, and while notably raising the vertical threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, although several of his best <em>highlights <\/em>have come on dives to the post, everything points to his role being as a specialist in screening, where he can have an offensive niche from day one, both in the direct screens to continue and in the indirect ones, facilitating the cuts of the specialists. That does not mean he will stop coming up to receive at the top, but probably with more intention of playing the <em>pick &amp; roll <\/em>from the hand-off, letting his ability as a cutter&#8217;s passer be an occasional tool for when the opponent overplays the catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/d4e7f88f-7d0b-ec21-a5b7-23fac24a2c55_1280x720-1.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His success will therefore rest on his ability to keep his good shooting numbers when he faces better defenders, more intimidating physiques, and defences that collapse quickly and force him to decide in tenths of a second. But given that this is a type of play in which he starts with an advantage over his defender, and that his height and touch near the rim are two of his great attributes, it is not hard to imagine Aday Mara maintaining the level of efficiency he has shown so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A matter of matchups?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The other half of the floor is where we find some of the highest peaks but also some of the deepest troughs. And this is where another key to the Zaragoza native&#8217;s NBA career lies. Because if physical condition is what can help him survive, defence seems destined to be the factor that separates a limited-minutes role player from a starter with real weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once again, the game against the Pacers offers the clearest view of both sides. And the only difference between the two was as simple as the type of centre he had to guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paired with Ivica Zubac, Mara showed the enormous impact he can have even as a rookie if he can live in the paint and limit himself to protecting the rim. Against an opponent who is no threat from outside like the Croatian, he camped in the paint and devoted himself to blocking shots, altering attempts, and even, through his intimidation, making Indiana&#8217;s players think twice before attacking even when they had the advantage over their direct defender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But this is no surprise. That his size and intimidation would carry over to any setting was obvious. The doubts come with how he will defend when that is not his main asset. And those doubts have not been resolved so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/eafbbcca-bad0-d178-3626-e53e2d02f800_1280x720.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His minutes against Larry Nance and Jay Huff put him under more pressure, as both took advantage of his tendency to sink into the paint to shoot comfortably from outside, combining for four three-pointers between them. Similarly, in the duel against Houston it was Fred VanVleet who punished his reluctance to move away from the rim, this time knocking down a couple of threes after two pick-and-rolls in which Mara barely stepped out to challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And although this is more a tactical matter in which Daigneault must decide what to concede and what not to, he can make Mara a player who, at least in this first year, is difficult to fit into certain contexts and against certain opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Especially if, when asking Aday to step out and defend the perimeter, it becomes clear that he lacks the mobility needed to contain or at least trouble more agile bigs, or to survive a mismatch against a smaller player. After five preseason games, we still have no answer for that. It is a scenario that has barely arisen and that he will have to face sooner or later in the regular season, and it will require the Thunder&#8217;s staff to manage the balance between learning and competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the one hand, letting the newcomer have a few tough nights so he can work on his weaknesses is an inevitable and almost advisable part of a rookie&#8217;s years. But for a franchise like OKC, which wants to fight for the very top, there may not be much room to let him struggle against unfavourable matchups that compromise the rest of the team. It will depend partly on how willing they are to let go in the regular season and cede the throne of the West. Though if the reward is helping the future centre mature, it is more an investment than a sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So we return to the opening question: is what we have seen from Aday Mara real? For the most part it seems so, and that is cause for optimism, but there is also much we have yet to see that will help define his ceiling and floor in the league. Although it would be unfair to say he has so far lived only in favourable contexts, most of his minutes have come in non-unfavourable ones. That has made his strengths shine brighter than expected, but we still have to see how he responds when his limitations are the ones put to the test.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aday Mara has made a very strong impression in the Thunder&#8217;s preseason, but how much of what he has done will carry over to the regular season?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,8],"class_list":["post-125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-aday-mara","tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","no-featured-image-padding","resize-featured-image"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/aday-mara-3.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Kiera Gardner","author_link":"https:\/\/www.nbamaniacs.com\/en\/author\/kiera\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How real is Aday Mara&#039;s standout preseason? 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