Aday Mara is heading to the 2026 NBA Draft, and with him almost certainly being a first-round draft pick, his declaration has undoubtedly brought his collegiate career to an end.
As Mara leaves Ann Arbor and the Michigan Wolverines for the league, some may worry that the departure of a 7-foot-3, 255-pound center could have the team in shambles.
However, Michigan and head coach Dusty May are nowhere near the danger zone, picking up former Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam just over an hour before Mara declared for the Draft.
It also came as no surprise when Mara declared, having been a critical piece of the Wolverines' run to the National Championship. So, May and his staff were on the hunt for a big man to fill in the hole left behind by Mara's expected departure.
Dusty May and Michigan already have Aday Mara's replacement
Throughout his singular season with the Wolverines, Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, and 2.4 assists per game. While Mara was a massive contributor all season long, his performances in the NCAA Tournament truly cemented him as a high-value pick in the NBA Draft.
In ESPN's NBA Mock Drafts, Mara is projected to go as early as No. 16 overall, while Yahoo Sports has him going 14th overall to the Charlotte Hornets, both mock-ups expecting his name to be called just a few picks after fellow Wolverine Yaxel Lendeborg.
NEWS: Michigan center Aday Mara is expected to declare for the NBA Draft, source confirms to @On3.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 24, 2026
The 7-3 junior averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game this season.https://t.co/gwtc3xr1Nc pic.twitter.com/x1H3p30pjx
Mara wasn't the only Michigan star to declare for the draft on the last possible day, joining Morez Johnson Jr. in doing so.
While it hurts to lose players who have the experience of winning a National Championship, the Wolverines aren't without returning stars, most notably retaining starting point guard Elliot Cadeau.
Also, beyond picking up Thiam from the transfer portal as the near-identical replacement in Mara's wake, the Wolverines have earned commitments from former Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella and former LSU forward Jalen Reed.
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