Aday Mara hasn’t exactly been subtle through two preseason games, and Oklahoma City is already treating the 7-foot-3, 255-pound rookie like a problem teams have to solve. He’s been dominant around the rim, but the Thunder are also zeroing in on something a little less obvious: his passing.
After Wednesday’s 128-126 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, head coach Mark Daigneault explained how quickly Mara’s teammates have picked up on that part of his game. Daigneault said the Thunder are pushing the pace because Mara "outlets the ball deep," and he pointed to how they’re using him as a roll-man, leaning on the gravity his size creates and even feeding him in the post because of his soft touch and footwork.
That playmaking has shown up all preseason. Mara has been finding cutters with bounce passes, slipping into clean scoring chances with smooth spin moves, and generally giving Oklahoma City another way to stress a defense beyond his size alone. Daigneault’s point was clear: the rookie has already earned trust.
The production backs it up. In two preseason games, Mara has piled up 34 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and four blocks while going a perfect 15-for-15 from the field. He’s also hit all 12 of his attempts from inside the restricted area.
Mara isn’t the only first-round rookie making noise, either. Bennett Stirtz, the No. 16 pick, followed up a strong debut with an even bigger showing in the second game of the back-to-back. In 22 minutes, the combo guard scored 20 points on 54.5 percent shooting and knocked down four 3-pointers.
Stirtz also brought energy on the defensive end, battled for five rebounds and kept moving well with and without the ball. Between him and Mara, the Thunder have two rookies who are already standing out to the staff, the fans and their teammates, with hopes that this level of play carries into the regular season.
In Other News...
Jalen Williams Gave Thunder Fans An Early Sign They Needed
Jalen Williams gave the Thunder a welcome preseason jolt in his first game action, flashing the kind of rhythm Oklahoma City has been waiting to see after a season interrupted by injuries. In 19 first-half minutes against Milwaukee, he was active from the start in a 128-126 loss, and the mix of scoring, playmaking and defensive activity fit neatly with the bigger picture the Thunder want to build around.
Mark Daigneault liked what he saw from Williams, especially the way he carried himself with confidence and aggression. Oklahoma City now has five days off before facing the Atlanta Hawks, which gives the team a little more time to let that encouraging opening stretch settle in while keeping an eye on whether Williams can keep that same energy going. [Read more 🡒]
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Took OKCs Playoff Exit Harder Than Fans Knew
Shai Gilgeous-Alexanders response to Oklahoma Citys playoff exit apparently lingered well beyond the spring, according to trainer Nem Ilic, who said the Thunder guard took the Knicks championship run as a reminder of what was left on the table. The backdrop was OKCs loss in the Western Conference finals, a finish that clearly sat heavy enough to shape how Gilgeous-Alexander approached the months that followed.
Ilic said the offseason became a work period aimed at sharpening conditioning and making Gilgeous-Alexander more comfortable operating off the ball, a sign the Thunder star is still searching for ways to raise his ceiling. He offered a quick preview of that next step in his preseason debut, when he scored 17 points in 17 minutes, and the early return suggests the same frustration that followed the playoff exit may have fueled the work. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Let A Young Bucks Guard Make A Late Statement
The Thunders preseason trip to Milwaukee ended in a narrow 128-126 loss, but the game also offered a look at how quickly rookie guard Brayden Burries can change a rhythm. Coming off the bench for the Bucks, Burries gave them a useful burst with 16 points, five rebounds, one assist and two steals in 21 minutes, and he was part of the late push that turned a tight exhibition into something worth paying attention to.
For Oklahoma City, the more interesting part may have been how steady the young guard looked when the game tightened. Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins came away impressed with Burries composure against different looks, a notable early-season nod for a rookie still carving out his place. Even in a preseason setting, a performance like that can stick, especially when it comes in the kind of closing minutes that usually separate empty box-score nights from something a little more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]