Aday Mara’s first few months with the Thunder have gone from uncertain to impossible to ignore, and Isaiah Hartenstein may have explained why.
What started with summer skepticism - including Mara being voted the “most disappointing rookie” among Summer League participants and talk that he wouldn’t even be a rotation player in the NBA until next year - has turned into a fast-rising profile. He’s already being mentioned alongside names like Pau Gasol, and after a strong regular-season debut against Victor Wembanyama, it’s getting harder to see Oklahoma City keeping the 7-foot-3 rookie off the floor.
Hartenstein’s recent take on where the league is headed only helps Mara’s case. The veteran center said the NBA appears to be moving away from valuing players who mostly space the floor and instead toward bigs who can “play inside” and are “able to create actions.” He also said lineups with “double-bigs” are starting to come back.
If that trend holds, it fits Mara almost perfectly. With his size and style, there’s a clear path to minutes even in a crowded Thunder frontcourt that already includes Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, and Jaylin Williams.
Hartenstein’s praise for Mara didn’t stop there. During Thursday’s practice media session, he said the rookie has adjusted quickly from international and Summer League play to the NBA stage, and he went as far as saying Mara is already at “mid-season form.”
That sounds about right based on what Mara did in Oklahoma City’s 116-104 revenge win over San Antonio on opening night. In only 12 minutes, he scored seven points, grabbed two rebounds, blocked a shot, and posted a 107.7 defensive rating. He also made life miserable for the Spurs around the basket, forcing them to steer clear of the lane.
Against Wembanyama, Mara looked every bit like the player some had labeled a “Wemby stopper.” He held the Spurs star to 0-for-4 shooting and added a strong rejection at the rim.
The next test comes quickly. On Thursday night, Mara and the Thunder are set to face Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, giving the rookie another major individual challenge in just his second game with the team. After handling Wembanyama in his debut, the question now is how he holds up against arguably the best player at his position.
In Other News...
Thunder Face An Early Test As Fans Await Key Lineup Answers
The Thunder get an early measuring-stick matchup Thursday night when Denver comes to the Paycom Center, giving Oklahoma City a chance to back up its season-opening win over San Antonio with another statement against one of the Wests established powers. It is still early, but games like this tend to reveal a little more about where a team stands, especially when the opponent is just beginning its own season and the atmosphere at home is set to feel more like a postseason preview than a routine October stop.
The bigger question for Oklahoma City is not just the opponent, but the available pieces. The injury report already has a few moving parts on both sides, and the projected lineups suggest both teams may have to adjust on the fly as they sort through availability and rotation decisions. Fans tuning in will get the full stage on national television, but the real intrigue is whether the Thunder can keep the momentum going while waiting for some of their key lineup answers to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Opener Has An Unexpected Subplot Tied To The Thunder
The Nuggets season opener against Oklahoma City already had a little extra edge, and now it comes with another subplot for Thunder fans to track. Denver has listed Spencer Jones as questionable because of bilateral hamstring injury management, while guard Julian Strawther is out with a left knee sprain, adding another layer of uncertainty to a game that will open the regular season spotlight between two teams with plenty of familiarity.
For the Thunder, the injury picture is familiar in its own way, with Otega Oweh, Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic all sidelined as they continue recovering from surgeries. Jones is the name to watch here, especially given how this matchup has taken on added offseason context, and his status could affect how Denver lines up when the ball goes up for a game that already had plenty of attention around it. [Read more 🡒]
Aday Mara Faces A Brutal Thunder Test In Home Opener
Aday Maras home opener arrives with a very different kind of assignment, and for a rookie trying to carve out a role, the timing could not be much tougher. After showing some defensive promise in his previous game against Victor Wembanyama, Mara heads into a matchup with the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, a far more established test for a young center still learning what NBA possessions demand on a nightly basis.
Maras last outing offered a glimpse of why Oklahoma City is interested in his development, but it also came with a reminder that opportunity can be fleeting. His minutes were limited, and there is no guarantee he gets the same kind of runway against Denver, where the Thunder may need to balance his growth against the realities of facing one of the leagues most demanding stars. [Read more 🡒]