Rudy Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, has some interesting assessments of OKC Thunder rookie Aday Mara.
Gobert, who plays with the Minnesota Timberwolves, has been impressed with Mara’s physical tools and subsequent impact for the Thunder.
“He’s really, really good,” Gobert said. “He was already excellent during the preseason, and he immediately made an impact on one of the NBA’s best teams. It’s always nice to see young players, especially those coming from Europe, do great things. I think he has a very bright future ahead of him.”
Gobert’s assessment is rooted in Mara’s Spanish background, which the Timberwolves center has been very familiar with growing up.
“The Spanish have a tremendous winning mentality, a real culture of winning. They’ve brought so many great players to this league, some of whom I admired myself when I was younger. So I’m really happy for him, and happy for Spain,” he said.
Rudy Gobert suit avec intérêt les débuts d’Aday Mara. Et s’il n’a pas encore eu l’occasion de l’affronter cette saison, Gobert se montre particulièrement enthousiaste.
« Il est vraiment très bon. Il avait déjà été excellent pendant la
Aday Mara Has Been Impressive For The Thunder
Mara has made an immediate and impressive impact for the Thunder through the opening 10 games of the 2026-2027 NBA season.
Selected 12th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Michigan, the 7-foot-3 Spaniard has stepped up during Chet Holmgren’s absence to average 8.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in just 19.7 minutes per game while shooting an efficient 62.5% from the field.
Beyond his box score production, Mara has emerged as one of the league’s premier interior defenders early on, holding opponents to a league-low 53.8% shooting in the restricted area among high-volume rim protectors.
His strong start culminated in a breakout performance on Nov. 7 against the Washington Wizards, where he made his second career start and tallied a career-high 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting, eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks to help power the Thunder to an 8–2 record.
Aday Mara Considered A Special Player For The OKC Thunder
Aday Mara has quickly earned the reputation as a special player for the Thunder.
Veteran teammate Kenrich Williams praised him as a “special player” who is evolving right before their eyes, with his soft touch around the rim, court vision from the top of the key, and immediate defensive impact.
“He’s been huge. Just evolving in front of our eyes. He’s a special player. He’s going to be a special player in this league,” Williams said of Mara. ‘He’s going to keep getting better. There are still areas where he can grow, but I’m just super proud of his growth so far. The 3-pointer is kinda icing on the cake.”
Even Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is impressed with Mara’s consistency whenever he is on the floor.
“Aday’s done a great job, like I said last night. He’s been really consistent. He’s played impactful minutes every single night,” Daigneault said of Mara. “Which is hard to do for a rookie player. Especially at that position.”
The Thunder will continue to bank on Mara for his two-way brilliance, especially now that the team is dealing with multiple injuries to starters Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Chet Holmgren.
Mara will continue to gain minutes off the bench as a backup center for the Thunder behind Isaiah Hartenstein.
Rudy Gobert Gives Interesting Assessment Of Thunder Rookie Aday Mara