Michigan standout Aday Mara is skyrocketing up NBA mock drafts

Don't look now, but Michigan Wolverine men's basketball star Aday Mara's draft stock is rising.  While Mara has largely been seen as a mid-to-late first-round pick, that's starting to change, especially after the standout's performance at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine. On Sunday, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report offered up a new mock draft. In it, he has Mara going at No. 8 to the Atlanta Hawks. So, he's moving into the top 10 in this mock. What appeals about Mara to the Hawks? Buckley noted that Atlanta could "take this opportunity to add a true center to the roster." "Mara is massive (7-foot-3, 255 lbs), and he does all of the things you'd want a mountain in the middle to do: finish around and above the basket, inhale rebounds, block shots," Buckley wrote. "What could give him top-10 appeal, though, is the fact that in addition to those traits, he also happens to read the floor like a guard and pass like a quarterback." "Dribble hand-offs, pinpoint passes from the high post and eyes-over-the-top-of-the-defense finds are all routine for him and gear rotators for an offense," Buckley added. Krysten Peek also named Mara one of the standouts at the 2026 NBA Combine. In a piece for NBA.com, Peek even said that Mara "could be the first center off the board." "Mara moved through the agility drills surprisingly well for a guy his size and shot 16-for-25 in the continuous star shooting drill, showing scouts his potential range from behind the arc," Peek added. In a draft class dominated by guards and flashy names like Cameron Boozer, Mara is an unassuming pick who could certainly go much earlier than expected. Get on the hype train now before everyone is buying up the Mara jerseys. Anne Erickson is an award-winning news reporter covering the NFL, NBA, college sports and more for Yardbarker. Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and other sports, and her work has been published by Fox Sports, ESPN and Newsweek, among others. She has also interviewed a bevy of big names in sports and entertainment, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, Lions edge Aidan Hutchinson and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!