Aday Mara’s path to the NBA has hit a legal snag on paper, but the Thunder are treating it like a non-issue.
The rookie center is set to be available when OKC opens the season Tuesday night on the road against the San Antonio Spurs, even though his former Spanish club has insisted he still belongs to them under contract. Basket Zaragoza, where Mara played before moving to UCLA in 2023, sued him in Spanish court that same year, arguing he broke his deal unilaterally to make the jump and seeking about $608,000 as an exit fee. That case remains active.
Despite that dispute, Mara’s college route was never blocked. FIBA rules did not require an international transfer to play in the NCAA, and Mara spent two seasons at UCLA before playing one at Michigan. The Thunder then took him with the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Basket Zaragoza general manager José Artigas told The Oklahoman on Wednesday that the club still views Mara as under contract through the 2026-27 NBA season. In the team’s view, Mara would need a Letter of Clearance from Basket Zaragoza before appearing in an official NBA game, or else the move would violate NBA-FIBA rules.
"We would like Aday to have a successful NBA career," Artigas said. "But we must defend our right to uphold agreements freely entered into by the parties and ensure respect for the institution and all its fans."
OKC pushed back Friday through a team spokesperson, saying the league has already advised the Thunder that no clearance is needed.
“Aday last played three years of NCAA college basketball and therefore, as advised by the NBA, no clearance from the Spanish team is required for him to play in the NBA," a Thunder spokesperson said.
Basket Zaragoza said it had already taken its position to FIBA after the draft in June. But when The Oklahoman checked with FIBA, the organization said it had not received official notice from either side.
"Please, note that FIBA has not received official notification from either party and about the matter mentioned in your query," a FIBA spokesperson said Saturday. "Therefore, it is not possible to provide any comment."
For now, the focus in Oklahoma City is on what Mara has done on the floor. He was sharp across five preseason games, averaging 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 blocks in 23.3 minutes while shooting 78.8% from the field.
The Thunder do have a crowded center room already, with Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams back, and 2025 draft pick Thomas Sorber still waiting to debut. Even so, Mara has made a convincing early push for minutes on a roster built with championship expectations.
Tuesday’s opener against San Antonio tips at 8:30 p.m. CT on NBC. It’s also a rematch of the 2026 Western Conference finals, which the Spurs won in seven games.
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