Aday Mara, the anti-Wembanyama: “We trust him”
Block on Wembanyama and a fast-break alley-oop: Aday Mara steals the spotlight on NBA Opening Night. Daigneault is already impressed
There are certainly worse ways to introduce yourself to the NBA. Aday Mara, a rookie for the Oklahoma City Thunder, made his presence known with a sequence that has already gone viral on social media: a block on Victor Wembanyama followed just seconds later by an alley-oop dunk at the other end of the court.
It all happened in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs on Opening Night of the 2026-27 NBA season. Mara first rejected the French star’s attempt at the rim, then sprinted down the court in transition to finish an alley-oop pass from Ajay Mitchell.
The sequence perfectly showcased the Spanish big man’s abilities, demonstrating his capacity to make an impact on both ends of the floor despite limited playing time.
Daigneault praises Mara: “We trust him”
After the game, Mark Daigneault also praised his rookie’s impact, explaining how a performance like that could help him earn more minutes in the Thunder’s rotation.
He didn’t play a lot of minutes tonight, but he definitely made his presence felt. He’s clearly a player we trust, otherwise we wouldn’t have put him on the floor in a game like this. And after seeing how he performed in a game at this level, we’ll trust him even more
Mark Daigneault
Following his NBA debut, Aday Mara also took a moment to thank the fans in Zaragoza, the city where he developed as a basketball player and began his professional career.
Thank you for your support and for always being there. I can really feel your love. Every time I go back to Zaragoza, I feel so loved. Thank you from the bottom of my heart
Aday Mara
Selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Mara is coming off an excellent college career at Michigan, where he helped the team win the NCAA championship and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
With Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein already anchoring the Thunder’s frontcourt, earning playing time won’t be easy. But Mara has already shown he can contribute, especially on the defensive end.