Aday played more minutes than expected, logging 12, five fewer than his main rival for the position, Isaiah Hartenstein. He also produced the play of the night with a spectacular block on the French 'alien', before finishing the break with a dunk after receiving an alley-oop from the Zaragoza native. Mara's numbers do not fully reflect his contribution to the Thunder: 7 points (3 of 4 from the field), 2 rebounds, one assist and one block. However, his plus-minus was 9 while on the court, the fourth-best mark on his team.
Aday Mara, in his NBA debut, against Wemby ?????? A sequence to remember. ?? FROM BLOCK TO DUNK! https://t.co/LDzkcoN1q8 — NBASpain (@NBAspain) October 21, 2026
In addition, the giant from Zaragoza was the only one of the Thunder's rookies to have a significant role in the game, as Barhnizer and Stirtz spent only seconds on the court. Everything suggests that Mara is part of an 11-player rotation. It remains to be seen how the Aragonese talent develops, as teams usually reduce their roster to eight players for the playoffs.
Watch out, because the Aragonese unicorn has made a very strong start. It is true that it is still early, but Hartenstein will have to raise his game if he does not want to lose his place to Aday Mara, who has already shown the impact he can have against one of the NBA's best teams, the Spurs.
His calling card has already been delivered, and now we will see how a talent develops that appears to have no ceiling because of his unique combination of height and playing style. Aday is destined to become a legend of the sport and, with his usual calmness, he does not seem weighed down by the responsibility of carrying the name of Aragon and Spain as he seeks to define an era in the NBA.
