NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.
The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY’s latest mock draft , Michigan’s Aday Mara  is expected to go in the first round. Here’s how USA TODAY currently projects the Center’s draft night will play out.
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Our draft order is based on ESPN’s projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Aday Mara 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 20 overall, San Antonio Spurs
Kalbrosky’s Analysis:
After leading his team to the collegiate national championship game, Michigan center Aday Mara became one of the prospects who helped himself the most during March Madness. The 7-foot-3 big man, who transferred from UCLA, is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempted 20.9 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year was on the court, per CBB Analytics, which ranks near lowest among all NCAA players. He can also pass well, finding some awesome outlet looks in transition and at the rim. Especially in short spurts, Mara would make an excellent backup to Victor Wembanyama.
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See USA TODAY’s full mock draft 9.0 here
Aday Mara player profile
(all stats as of March 15)
67.4 field goal percentage
25.0 three-point field goal percentage
San Antonio Spurs 2026 projected draft picks
No. 14 (via ATL), No. 35 (via UTA), No. 41 (via POR) and No. 48 (via MIA)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aday Mara NBA mock draft projection: Where Michigan star is expected to land after March Madness