Adai Mara, the 7-foot-3, 245-pound 18-year-old Spanish center, is rumored to join UCLA ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft. For now, however, the whole process is stalled as Mara is trying to terminate his contract with his current team, Casademont Zaragoza. If all goes well, he will be one of the most high-profile potential rookies on the college scene next season.
But will he be able to live up to the expectations of the hype that has always accompanied him? How did he translate his skills to the NCAA arena to end up in the NBA? Is Adayi Mara really that good???
I've been listing Marat as a lottery pick for 2024 for a while now, and I fully believe in his talent. However, between the apparent weakness of the 24th rookie, being predicted as a "2024 Quasi-Lottery" does not necessarily mean that he is necessarily a talent who can change the team. But it is worth noting that there are other mainstream mock draft platforms that let Mara be selected at the end of the first round, and even more so did not put Marat in next year's mock list, and now, the public really can't reach a consensus on Marat's pick and even the future.
My position for Mara is that he's a potential NBA-level starting center, and his ceiling doesn't stop there; That doesn't mean Marat is the kind of player who guarantees a top 10 pick, but like I said before: next year's draft could be different. Back in 2013, I thought Alex Lane was the NBA champion of the year. Of course, I know it's not a good choice, but at least it's better than Anthony Bennett (God). Alex Lane was eventually selected with the fifth pick (the same night, a strangely read, striker named Giannis Antetokounmpo was picked with the 15th pick...). ）。 Ah, off topic.
In short, my opinion is this: instead of choosing players who develop with extremely high returns and very high risks, choose players who are potentially good (and of course the returns on paper may not be as high).
This time last year, I took a closer look at Victor Vembanyama and compared him to some NBA players. Munbanyama is certainly an undisputed elite-level rookie with epoch-making talent. Although Marat shares some of the same qualities, the same words obviously cannot be used to describe him. Still, Marat is a very interesting international elder who deserves more attention.
Remarkable physical talent
Mara is not only a 7-foot-3 tall, he now weighs 245 pounds, and he has a skeleton that should be smooth for hanging meat in the next few years. He is not as agile as Wen Ban (at that height, no other player can do it except Bun Ban), and his lack of speed and agility may be a major factor in his next level of play. He can't change defenses indefinitely, and can only accelerate in a straight line somewhat clumsily. Over the next few seasons, we'll see if he can develop some lower body strength and agility.
Mara is skilled in using his body, and he is simply a beast in the paint area. His near-rim skills are so good that he can dunk almost all the ball and show enough strength to keep him strong finishing near the basket even after the confrontation. After his body matures, his resistance will be stronger. His excellent size will also have an important impact on the defensive end.
Exclusive to his elite technology...
But I dare put it up front: Mara's elite-level skills set him apart from almost every other center taller than 7 feet in the NBA Draft in recent years. He is an excellent passer with excellent field vision, sense of the game and organisational skills. His tall stature and slender arms allow him to pass past or around defenders, and he has extremely high passing accuracy, almost always reaching his teammates accurately. He always keeps his head up and always seeks passing opportunities
In the modern NBA, the trend is to have a tall interior player as the center of the offense to attract defense, so that passes to open shooters or open cuts, and I think Mara will do a good job. It's unusual to pick a 7-foot-3 center in the draft because he likes his passing ability, but I think even if Mara doesn't reach the NBA level as quickly and easily in other aspects of the game, some teams will covet that skill and put it on their tactical board.
Offensive skills
Marat's offense has a lot to talk about beyond its elite-level passing ability. He only needs to reach out his arm to touch the basket – as long as he is in the paint zone, he can pose a constant threat to the basket. He has a great ability to receive the ball, and although he is not very fast and he is not a very explosive athlete in vertical jumps, he can always pose a threat to high balls and passes that cross his defensive range.
His offensive skills are also well suited to the modern NBA. He's already a capable space-type interior lineman who can go out and shoot threes. This part of his actual combat has much to be desired, but what he is showing now as an 18-year-old is really full of reverie.
He also performed very well in the middle distance. That's where my first NBA comparison (see below) for Marat came from. Although the mid-range jumper isn't as important in modern racing anymore, it's still a major weapon – especially when combined with elite passing abilities.
Overall, Mara's offense was steady. Not only does he have the size, the ability to pass and put the ball in the basket, but he knows "how to play." He can provide good quality cover, can create good angles and space, and in attack, Mara is an overall key advantage. He has a strong ability to block down the basket and has a good hand on those finishes where he can't dunk.
Defensive ability
On the defensive end, Marat is a player who can change the game near the free throw line, he can change the offensive intentions of many players, and block a lot of shots. Ten thousand steps back said that as long as he stood in the restricted area, he would pose a threat to the opponent's attack. As mentioned above, he doesn't play very fast, but who cares when you're 7'3!
He's boosting his strength to counter NBA height and intensity, and once he's on the handle, he's supposed to do just fine.
The biggest problem in Mara's game was his ability to defend in space, his ability to defend, and his ability to change small defenders when needed. If he ends up at UCLA, he'll be playing with Adem Boehner – one of the most athletic, versatile long-man defenders you'll ever see. If they play together in the Twin Towers lineup, it may help mask some of Marat's shortcomings with lack of agility and outside defense... Of course, there are also chances to highlight these shortcomings.
All in all, as an NBA defender, Mara should be closer to Jacob Poeltl or Kristaps Porzingis than the next Joel Embiid.
Adai Mara's NBA comparator
I have two main comparators for Adai Marat: Zaidrunas Irgoskas, and Paulo Gasol.
Zaidrunas Irgoskas is a player who plays in an era ahead of his time. The 7'3 Lithuanian is skilled, has good mid-range feel and good passing ability. "Big Z" has never been a dominant interior lineman, but he contributed to the Cavaliers for many years after being selected by the Cavaliers with the 20th overall pick in 1996. He's also a consistent defender in the box, a good rebounder and, overall, a big guy with a modern twist.
Paulo Gasol: Adai Mara is also comparable to his Spanish predecessor Paulo Gasol in some ways. Mara is a bit taller than Gasol and less flexible than Gasol, and it remains to be seen whether he can develop the attacking ability that Gasol had at the peak of his career, but they share similar technical characteristics and ways of playing. Like Gasol, Mara is a capable passer, an offensive "catalyst" that can serve as the axis of the attack. Comparing this kid to Hall of Famer, but at least there are enough similarities between the two of them to discuss.
The third name I would like to speak of is Arvidas Sabonis. For those who don't remember him, Domantas Sabonis' father was an excellent passer and playmaker. At 7'4, Roof of the World is an interior behemoth with great feel near the basket, impressive mid-range shooting and elite passing ability. At the same time, he also had a pair of legs as solid as a tree trunk - this is what Mara will strive for.
If Mara can meet this expectation in the three-player range, he will be a very valuable player in the lottery zone next year. But this largely depends on his lower limb strength and overall athleticism/agility.
UCLA has elite NBA-level talent
If Marat ends up at UCLA, he will join the ranks of the best talented players there, including some talented international players. Adem Boehner's return in sophomore year will also add depth to the roster.
This spring, UCLA acquired a hugely popular French winger, Ilana Fibleuil, a 6-foot-6 nimble and dynamic athlete with NBA-level scoring tools. The player with first-round prospects has a chance to become a "one and done" or sophomore.
They also recently brought in Lithuanian athlete Jan Vid, a 6'6" two-way defender who had just won the UEFA Junior League MVP while playing for Real Madrid. Vader could be a "one and done" draft player for the Class of 2024.
The Bruins also welcomed back an underrated young point guard, Dylan Andrews, who is poised for a breakthrough next season.
Italian winger Abramo Kanca and 6'10 Mark Etienne are also good players in the long run, both heading into their second season with the Bruins. The Bruins are a lot of talent this season.
However, if Adai Mara can resolve his current contract dispute, he could be at the top of this group of players and become a star for the Bruins next year.
(Translation/Peach Plus American)