He had Mara @ 51.
Aday Mara
UCLA, Freshman
HEIGHT 7'2"
WEIGHT 245
AGE 19.2
WINGSPAN 7'7"
Towering center with court vision that belies his size, though coming to America has not gone as anticipated.
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SHADES OF
Vlade Divac
Interior Scoringbadge
Interior Scoring
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Feel for the Game
PLUSES
If you watched Mara only at UCLA, you wouldn’t think he is an NBA prospect. But he has shone playing professionally overseas and for the Spanish under-18 national team as a two-way presence. The college game has, however, exposed how raw he still is.
Ambidextrous and fluid at-rim finisher who uses scoops, hook shots, and an assortment of layups, giving him an adaptive ability near the rim when he’s not able to flush down dunks. He also has good hands catching tough passes and has displayed smooth footwork in the post.
Skilled passer who has the upside to be an offensive hub on the post and elbows. He can stretch his long arms out and throw darts with either hand around defenders, and he loves using bounce passes to reward cutters. He’s also patient on post-ups, surveying the floor with a natural feel for recognizing help and finding the open man.
Good potential drop coverage defender with his mammoth frame. He can block shots using either hand, and he’s disciplined. In general, he’s a mobile interior defender who keeps his head on a swivel and recognizes help opportunities.
MINUSES
Struggling with physicality at the college level, which is leading to limited opportunities. He’s getting pushed off spots for rebounds, and he’s unable to carve out ideal post positioning. He plays soft in general, which is killing him on defense and therefore limiting his opportunities on the floor.
Subpar free throw shooter who has flashed a spot-up 3-point jumper in an extremely limited sample. He more than likely won’t become a shooter, even if he has fancied himself one.
Lacks the quickness to switch out onto the perimeter or even blitz and hedge. He'll likely have to stick to drop on defense, though he’ll also need to improve at coming up to the level of the screen.
Bona @53
Adem Bona
UCLA, Sophomore
HEIGHT 6'8"
WEIGHT 243
AGE 21.2
WINGSPAN 7'0"
A tireless player with the qualities to be an excellent rotation big.
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SHADES OF
Montrezl Harrell, Bismack Biyombo
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Hustle
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Rebounding
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Shot Blocking
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Athleticism
PLUSES
Big-bodied defender with the hands and feet to thrive in any pick-and-roll scheme.
He sets rock-solid screens and rolls hard to the basket.
Active help defender who explodes like a rocket for emphatic highlight-reel blocks.
Shows a nose for crashing the offensive glass, and he’s highly physical on the defensive boards.
Quick and explosive leaper with good hands. He’ll be a major lob threat, and he always runs the floor hard, so bigs will reward him.
Shows a quick first step from the perimeter on occasional drives inside. There’s a chance he will develop a solid face-up game, especially if he’s able to develop a jumper.
MINUSES
Borderline hackable free throw shooter with a limited touch away from the restricted area.
Not yet a player who can be trusted to facilitate from the perimeter, whether in dribble handoff actions or in transition.