The new star of the NCAA, the basketball league of North American Universities, is the Spanish Aday Mara. At 18 years old, the young student of the Casademont Zaragoza, has decided to move to Los Angeles and accept an offer from UCLA. With his 2.20 meters in height, Mara’s projection in the possible selection of the 2024 NBA draft as number one has multiplied now that he has signed with the Bruins team. The announcement comes a day after Mara posted on Instagram that she was leaving her Spanish professional team, Casademont Zaragoza, as part of what appears to be a contentious separation because the maño team has announced that it will “take the necessary measures” to enforce the Mary’s contract
A good student and best basketball player, Mara missed an important ACB game to take a high school exam. The center from Zaragoza has flourished on the international basketball scene, playing a central role for Spain with an average of 14.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 blocks in seven games with Spain in the FIBA U18 European Championship, held in Serbia. “We are excited to announce the addition of Aday to UCLA,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said in a statement.
“Throughout this process with Aday, he and his family have been steadfast to one thing: They want Aday to have a great education and to see him grow up at UCLA. He has tremendous size and ability and has developed a great understanding of the game of basketball. He is a humble young man with great parents and is lucky to be 7’4″ with such talent and a strong work ethic,” Cronin said.
Mara’s decision significantly improves UCLA’s prospects for next season given his ability around the basket as a shot blocker, his lobs and pick-and-roll finisher. Having turned 18 earlier this summer, Mara is still developing his strength and adding elements to his game. He is considered an excellent passer and can shoot midrange jumpers while playing with his back to the basket. The player displayed all of those skills as he guided Spain to a second-place finish this summer at the FIBA European Under-18 Championship. Aday runs fast and it’s hard to find a 2.20 center who passes as well as he does.
Mara’s sporting heritage runs in her genes because her father Francisco played briefly as a basketball player in Spain and her mother was part of the Spanish national volleyball team. Born on April 7, 2005, Aday has been playing in mixed amateur/pro leagues since his childhood years and is known for not shying away from contact.
Mara’s arrival will give UCLA two top-tier big men with Adam Bona returning for a second collegiate season after his first ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury. The Bruins tour Spain later this month to play three games, in Madrid, Toledo and Barcelona, although Mara is unlikely to play on the trip to her native country unless she enrolls as a student before the start of the season. fall quarter.
Mara is the latest to join the Bruins’ unofficial attempt to recruit players from the European Union along with Jan Vide (Slovenia), Ilane Fibleuil (France) and Berke Buyuktuncel (Turkey), who just signed with the team. The increase in international recruitment is necessary for the University due to the high turnover of its players who are also students of the University. The Bruins lost a large number of national targets choosing to play other NCAA teams.
UCLA now has six A-listers including Sebastian Mack, Brandon and Devin Williams (no relation), plus the Europeans. The only holdovers from UCLA from last season are the aforementioned Bona, Dylan Andrews, Will McClendon and Kenneth Nwuba. The Bruins now have 11 scholarship players, two below the NCAA limit. Mara becomes the seventh player to join the Bruins program for the 2023-24 season; in all, the incoming class numbers six freshmen and one junior. Mara had 14 points, five rebounds and a team-leading five blocks in a Round of 16 win against Canada at the FIBA U17 World Cup last year.
2023-08-06 18:09:17
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