In Reply to: Re: Maybe he did, I wouldn't know posted by barrya on April 02, 2025 at 11:19:28
I tend to agree with jersey that he doesn’t come across as a "me-first" player. He clearly knows how to share the ball. It's something he excels at. I understand that a certain reporter is pushing that narrative, but I have real issues with their reporting—not just in this case, but in the past as well. I’ll take the kid’s word over a journalist I don’t trust. Mara is indicating there are lies out there.
I also don’t believe there was ever a firm deal in place. I think Mara has been hesitant from the start, which was evident in his response to Bulch’s direct question. From my perspective, it looks like Aday had a serious heart-to-heart with his family when he got home and expressed some real reservations. I’ve had similar conversations with my own kids when they came home for the summer—things I had no idea were bothering them.
It doesn’t make sense to me that this was purely about money. If he were chasing the biggest payday, he would have immediately entered the portal and gone to the highest bidder—we’ve certainly seen other players do that. In my opinion, the main issue was playing time or the lack of a guarantee around it. Of course, money likely played a role, but it wasn’t the driving factor.
I’m not necessarily saying Cronin just let him go, but rather that he didn’t see the value in making a strong push to keep him—and honestly, I respect that. Just as I respect Mara’s right to go wherever he wants, whenever he wants, especially this early in the process. Even if there was an agreement, if Mara got home and had a change of heart, that’s his choice. Look at what happened with the Maryland coach—he got a better offer and left. If the right job comes along, Cronin could just as easily make the same move. Mara should have the freedom to go wherever he thinks best suits him, especially during this era.