The Thunder may have wound up with the best fit of the bunch in Aday Mara, and the early returns only make that look smarter.
OKC’s 12th overall pick from this past June’s NBA Draft has wasted no time making an impact. In three games, Mara has shut down Victor Wembanyama, finished multiple lobs, and made life miserable for anyone trying to attack the paint. He’s looked like exactly the kind of big man the Thunder needed.
That outcome wasn’t guaranteed on draft night, though. Oklahoma City was also seriously considering two other former Michigan Wolverines, Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg. If all three had still been available when the Thunder were on the clock, the front office might have had a much tougher decision.
Right now, though, Oklahoma City has reason to be pleased with how things broke. Mara has been excellent. The other two have not exactly matched that start.
Johnson, selected ninth overall, has opened his career with three so-so outings. He’s averaging only 6.7 points, and his turnover numbers are nearly as high as his rebounds. That kind of start has already led some to wonder about Dallas’ choice.
Lendeborg ended up going one pick earlier to the Golden State Warriors, and he’s had more opportunity than the other two Michigan products. But his first impression has come with a different set of concerns.
At 24, he is the oldest of the trio, but he has also looked the most immature. His NBA debut turned heads for the wrong reasons after his comments about Luka Doncic, saying he had lost respect for Doncic because of his whining, among other things. He also boasted about shutting down the superstar guard while quietly taking a shot at his own teammates’ defense.
That stands in sharp contrast to Mara, whose game and demeanor appear to suit Oklahoma City well. He’s already shown humility when asked about being drafted as the "Wemby Stopper" over the offseason, and he’s quickly become the kind of complementary piece that can mesh with the Thunder’s elite scorers.
Whether Sam Presti would have gone another way if Johnson or Lendeborg had still been on the board is still a mystery. What isn’t a mystery is that the Thunder landed on a player who looks like a natural fit.
After three games, Mara looks like the missing piece OKC may have needed last year, and the Thunder already seem like the most complete on-court unit in the NBA.
In Other News...
Thunders Unbeaten Start Suddenly Comes With A Worry Fans Will Feel
Oklahoma Citys unbeaten start kept rolling for most of the night against the Clippers, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carrying the offense and finishing with 27 points as the Thunder held a late lead in the fourth quarter. It was the kind of win that fit the early-season script for a team that has looked steady on both ends and confident in close games.
The concern arrived in the third quarter, when Jaylin Williams and Cason Wallace both exited with injuries and did not return. Williams was dealing with right wrist soreness, while Wallace had left shoulder soreness, and the sight of two rotation pieces heading to the bench at once is the sort of thing that can linger far longer than one regular-season game. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Have A Huge Jalen Williams Concern
The Thunder had one of those late-game moments nobody in Oklahoma City wanted to see when Jalen Williams went up for a dunk against the Clippers and came down awkwardly on his leg in the fourth quarter. The sequence turned quickly from a routine attacking play into a scary pause, with Williams eventually leaving the floor in a leg brace after being helped off.
Williams did manage to give the crowd a thumbs up before he exited, a small sign that offered some relief in the moment. Even so, the bigger concern now is the same one that follows any sudden injury like this, since the Thunder have not provided an official update on his status and will be waiting to learn how serious it is. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Face A Tough New Test After Jalen Williams Injury
The Thunder are heading into a tricky stretch with a back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns, and the timing could hardly be worse after Jalen Williams went down with a leg injury. Oklahoma City is already dealing with a short-handed roster, and now the focus shifts to how it will piece together another important game while trying to absorb the loss of one of its key players.
An injury report is expected, but the full picture on availability is still not set, which leaves plenty of questions hanging over the matchup. The Suns will have their own absences to work around, yet this one still figures to carry extra emotion for the Thunder as they try to keep moving through a demanding part of the schedule without much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]