Aday Mara Adds a New Dimension to Michigan’s Offense
Michigan center Aday Mara is already one of the most skilled big men in the country, and now he’s adding a new weapon to his arsenal - the three-point shot. In Sunday’s road win over Ohio State, Mara stepped out and knocked down the first two threes of his college career. And he didn’t just hit them - he looked like he belonged out there.
For a 7-footer who’s been known more for his touch around the rim and his presence in the paint, this is a potentially game-changing development. If Mara can stretch the floor consistently, Michigan’s offense - already tough to handle - becomes a whole new kind of problem.
“After three years without shooting or making a three-pointer, I know it’s in my game, but I have to get confidence back,” Mara said postgame. “I’m happy I was able to help the team with those shots. I’m just going to keep taking good shots.”
That confidence is key. Mara’s always had the touch - you can see it in his footwork, his passing, his soft hands around the basket.
But stepping out beyond the arc is a different kind of rhythm, a different kind of mindset. And now, after putting in the work behind the scenes, Mara’s starting to trust that part of his game.
“I’ve been practicing it, but I just didn’t want to rush and I don’t want to take any bad shots,” he said. “When I saw that I was open, I just shot it.
I’m confident with my shot. I just haven’t shot it for two years, but I know it’s still there.”
That’s the kind of maturity coaches love to hear - a player not just launching threes for the highlight reel, but taking the right ones at the right time. And for Mara, this isn’t about becoming a volume shooter from deep.
It’s about becoming a complete offensive threat. A big man who can protect the rim, score inside, and step out to keep defenses honest?
That’s a rare breed.
Head coach Dusty May has seen the work Mara’s put in, and he’s not surprised by the results.
“We’ve spent a lot of time working on his three-point shot and we want it to be a part of his game going forward,” May said. “He hasn’t shot very many, but it paid off for us (vs Ohio State) because those three-pointers were big.”
And it wasn’t just the shooting. Mara turned in a career-high 24 points, grabbed six rebounds, and swatted two shots. He was a force on both ends of the floor, running in transition, protecting the rim, and anchoring Michigan’s interior defense.
“He does so many things well. I was more impressed with his rim protection and the way he was running the floor,” May added.
“If he runs the floor and puts pressure on the rim, he’s a force. He’s come a long way.
I’m proud of the big fella.”
That’s the kind of performance that turns heads - not just because of the stat line, but because of what it suggests about Mara’s trajectory. He’s evolving, and quickly.
The touch, the feel, the vision - those were already there. Now, with range expanding and confidence growing, he’s starting to look like a true modern big.
One who can stretch the floor on one end and anchor it on the other.
For Michigan, that’s a big deal. Aday Mara isn’t just getting better - he’s expanding the playbook. And if this is just the beginning, Big Ten defenses better start planning accordingly.