In Reply to: Mara = Most Disappointing posted by ClockBlocker on July 20, 2026 at 10:08:37
In my opinion, Aday had a pretty solid Summer League, and calling him the most disappointing player is a huge stretch. Here were his numbers:
Minutes: 23.9
Points: 9.2
Rebounds: 7.0
Assists: 3.2
Blocks: 1.8
FG%: 50%
Don't get me wrong, he didn't dominate. But he also played fewer minutes than many of the other highly touted prospects. Given his role and playing time, his rebounding, shot-blocking, and assist numbers are actually pretty impressive.
I watched several of his games, and it reminded me of what we saw at UCLA and Michigan: there are countless possessions where opponents simply choose not to challenge him at the rim. That kind of deterrence doesn't show up in the box score, but it's a real defensive impact.
I know I've earned a reputation as the Mara apologist on this board, but I'm genuinely not worried about him. He still needs to get stronger, and that's probably the biggest thing holding him back right now. If he adds functional strength, I think he's going to have a very good NBA career.
His passing is elite for a player his size, he's a legitimate rim protector, his rebounding continues to improve, and he has outstanding hands. Those are valuable NBA skills.
If you're expecting him to become a 20+-point-per-game scorer, then sure, you may end up disappointed. But if you view him as the kind of player who does all the little things that help teams win, the same role he embraced at Michigan, I think he's going to be more than just fine.