Thunder select Aday Mara at No. 12 in 2026 NBA Draft

sportsJun 24, 202617226

Oklahoma City Thunder selected Aday Mara with the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, adding the 7-foot forward/center from Michigan to its roster. Mara is valued for rim protection and length, giving the Thunder more size and defensive upside in the frontcourt. Oklahoma City also acquired Bennett Stirtz, the No. 16 pick, via trade, turning multiple selections into immediate roster assets. Those moves reflect the Thunder's 2026 strategy of using salary-cap flexibility to accumulate young, cost-controlled talent and shore up positional needs.

Matt Norlander

@norlander.bsky.social

An absolute wow: With Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara being drafted, this marks the first time since 2007 that a team had three lottery picks, with none of those picks being a freshman. It was those championship Gators in 2007.

534h ago

Matt Norlander25

Michigan is also the first title-winning team since Villanova in 2018 to have three first-round draft picks. How are those Nova guys doing these days?

NBA

@nba.com

Michigan duo Yaxel Lendeborg & Aday Mara reunited & had one pose in mind 🤣 Watch the First Round of the 2026 NBA Draft tomorrow at 8:00pm/et on ABC & ESPN!

47Yesterday

Michael Scotto

@mikeascotto.bsky.social

Sources: The Oklahoma City Thunder will select Aday Mara with the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

234h ago

Steph Noh

@stephnoh.bsky.social

My guys in this draft: Cam Boozer, Kingston Flemings, Dailyn Swain, Jayden Quaintance, Henri Veesar, Richie Saunders, Bruce Thornton Guys I'm fading: Aday Mara (think he'll be fine but overdrafted), Karim Lopez, Nate Ament, Chris Cenac, Koa Peat

187h ago

Adam Aaronson

@adamaaronson.bsky.social

Updated look at the trade between the Sixers and Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to on 2/4/26: Sixers receive: Labaron Philon Jr., 2027 second-round pick (most favorable OKC/HOU/IND/MIA), 2028 Milwaukee second-round pick, 2028 OKC second-round pick Thunder receive: Jared McCain

123h ago

Law Murray 📘

@lawmurraythenu.bsky.social

Michigan Wolverines! 1990 NBA Draft 10. Rumeal Robinson 13. Loy Vaught 16. Terry Mills 2026 NBA Draft 9. Morez Johnson Jr. 11. YAXEL 12. Aday Mara

114h ago

NBA Daily News

@insidenbanews.bsky.social

Aday Mara pre-draft measurements: Height - 7'3 Weight - 259.8 lbs. Wingspan - 7'6 Standing reach - 9'9 OKC adds frontcourt depth after getting eliminated by Wemby and the Spurs.

94h ago

Cameron Boozer Fans United Kingdom

@femmebanyama.bsky.social

aday mara is the first nba prospect to turn up to draft night dressed like a low ranking member of the nazi party

99h ago

Shams Charania Tweets

@shamsbot.bsky.social

Sources: Memphis is trading No. 16 pick Bennett Stirtz to the Oklahoma City Thunder for two second-round picks.

73h ago

WMUR

@wmur9.bsky.social

Nashua's Ebuka Okorie has been drafted as the 17th pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder but was later traded to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, according to ABC.

33h ago

Bryan Toporek

@btoporek.bsky.social

Are the Thunder really about to just fall into Aday Mara?

74h ago

AkivaMCohen

@akivamcohen.bsky.social

I swear, if OKC manages to land Aday Mara, I might lose it

74h ago

AkivaMCohen4

Like the next picks are Dallas, Milwaukee, Golden State. And if you're Dallas or Golden State, you need to contend with Wemby for the foreseeable future. How do you let a 7-3 player with skill slide by you?

Porter2

Man. I just dont sports ball enough to understand any of these words. 😱 Is that normal? Cc @proptermalone.bsky.social

brian

@trappedinazorb.bsky.social

warriors passing on aday mara and thunder taking him with the very next pick feels like an #ominous #portent but fuck it we ball

44h ago

Carley Carden

@carleycarden.bsky.social

Oh shiiiiiiiiii, boi! OKC already replacing Chet in this draft with Aday Mara at #12 😹😭😭

34h ago

therealmaine.bsky.social

@therealmaine.bsky.social

OKC Thunder select Aday Mara with the pick No.12. 7-foot-3 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and a 9-foot-9 standing reach. Great playmaker. Legitimate rim protector. Play-finisher. Great presence in the paint. Championship pedigree. Interesting addition to a crowded frontcourt.

53h ago

3 sources

thesuavereport.comThunder Select Aday Mara with No. 12 Pick in 2026 NBA Draft wsnext.comHow the Oklahoma City Thunder Are Redefining NBA Draft Strategy in 2026 kq2.comBennett Stirtz drafted 16th overall to Memphis Grizzlies, then traded to Oklahoma City Thunder

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Thunder select Aday Mara at No. 12 in 2026 NBA Draft

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