Seven-foot big men do not grow on trees. Luckily for Dusty May and Michigan basketball, they do sometimes enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Such was the case with Aday Mara, who became the 2026 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in one year with the Wolverines after playing sparingly with UCLA in his first two collegiate seasons.
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With star Yaxel Lendeborg dealing with an injury in the Final Four against No. 1 Arizona, it was Mara who stepped up with a career-best performance to help the Wolverines reach the national championship game.
Mara will likely be a key piece for Michigan as the Wolverines aim to win their first national championship since 1989. Heading into the national championship in March Madness, here’s what you need to know about the Michigan big man:
Aday Mara 2026 NCAA Tournament stats
After a strong regular season where he posted career highs across the board, Mara has come alive for Michigan in the Men’s NCAA Tournament, including a career-high 26 points in a dominant win over No. 1 Arizona in the Final Four.
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Here’s a look at Reed’s stats during March Madness:
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vs. No. 16 Howard: 19 points (8-of-10 shooting), seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks in 21 minutes
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vs. No. 9 Saint Louis: 16 points (7-of-12 shooting), five rebounds, four blocks, five assists and a steal in 26 minutes
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vs. No. 4 Alabama: 8 points (4-of-8 shooting), five rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 27 minutes
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vs. No. 6 Tennessee: 11 points (4-of-6 shooting), four rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 18 minutes
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vs. No. 1 Arizona: 26 points (11-of-16 shooting), nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 30 minutes
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NCAA Tournament averages: 16.0 points (65.4% shooting), 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.6 blocks and 0.4 steals per game in 24.4 minutes
Aday Mara stats
Here’s a look at Mara’s stats from his college career with UCLA and Michigan:
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2025-26 (Michigan): 12.2 points per game, 2.5 assists per game, 6.8 rebounds per game, 2.6 blocks per game, 62.1% on field goals, 30% on 3-pointers, 59.6% on free throws (39 games, 38 starts)
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2024-25 (UCLA): 6.4 points per game, 4.0 rebounds per game, 1.0 assists per game, 1.6 blocks per game, 59% on field goals, 57.7% on free throws (33 games, 1 start)
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2023-24 (UCLA): 3.5 points per game, 1.9 rebounds per game, 0.5 steals per game, 0.7 blocks per game, 44.2% on field goals, 70% on free throws (28 games, 8 starts)
How tall is Aday Mara?
Mara is listed at 7-foot-3, 255 pounds on Michigan’s website.
Aday Mara NBA draft stock, mock draft predictions
Mara is a potential option to go in Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft following a breakout season with Michigan during the 2025-26 college basketball season.
How old is Aday Mara?
Mara is 20 years old. He’ll turn 21 on April 7, the day after the national championship game.
Aday Mara recruit ranking
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Position ranking: No. 3 C
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State ranking: No. 1 player from Spain
Mara was a five-star recruit who was rated as the No. 3 center and the No. 15 overall prospect in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports’ rankings Mara was unranked by the 247Composite rankings.
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Why did Aday Mara transfer from UCLA to Michigan?
Following two seasons at UCLA, Mara opted to transfer to Michigan from UCLA for a chance to play in a better environment. The discussion about more playing time or starting did not occur for Mara with May before he committed to the Wolverines.
“I went from a bad environment [at UCLA], where almost nobody wanted to practice, because as I said, it was a bad environment, to a great one. It was the opposite,” Mara told USA TODAY Sports before the Elite Eight in Chicago.
Where is Aday Mara’s hometown?
Mara is from Zaragoza, Spain. He played basketball professionally for Casademont Zaragoza in Spain before joining UConn in 2023.
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Mara’s father, Javier Mara, played basketball professionally in Spain, while his mother, Gely Gomez, was on Spain’s women’s national volleyball team.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Aday Mara? What to know about Michigan basketball star
