Aday Mara, the first Spaniard to win the NCAA basketball title in the United States
The 21-year-old, 2.21-meter-tall player grew up surrounded by athletes, trained in the youth ranks of Casademont Zaragoza, and moved to the US aged 18
There couldn’t have been a better birthday present for Aday Mara. He had barely begun celebrating his historic NCAA title when his teammates burst into song, singing “Happy Birthday” at midnight on Tuesday in Indianapolis. The center, born in Zaragoza on April 7, 2005, turned 21 minutes after achieving something unprecedented in Spanish sports: winning the NCAA and doing so as a key player on both offense and defense for the Michigan Wolverines, who triumphed 37 years after their only previous title.
In a packed stadium of 72,000 people, two stood out above the rest: Francisco Javier Mara, at 2.01 meters tall, a former power forward in the Spanish ACB league with CAI Zaragoza; and beside him, at 1.92 meters, Angélica “Geli” Gómez, a leading figure in Spanish volleyball with extensive international experience. The parents of this young talent, the patient architects of his magnificent emotional and competitive intelligence. Visibly moved, with tears in their eyes, they embraced the gentle giant, standing at 2.21 meters and destined to be one of the leading figures in Spanish basketball in the years to come.
“When I was in Spain, I barely knew what this was. I only followed European basketball and the NBA. It wasn’t until I got to UCLA that I realized the enormous influence and interest that the NCAA and these kinds of games generated, but I never thought this would happen to me; it’s a complete surprise,” the Aragonese player reflected during the title celebrations. His phone was already buzzing before the games, while he tried to take his usual nap, and it exploded after the championship win. Among the ocean of messages, the ones that will make him happiest are those from his idols, the Gasol brothers.
He crossed paths with Marc Gasol during their time in the LEB Oro league, one having just arrived in the competition on loan to Huesca and the other on the verge of leaving it with Girona, the club he owned. “I’m so happy for you, Aday, you deserve it,” Pau wrote to him, the elder Gasol having also chatted with him just before the final. Many compare Mara’s intelligence and court vision to the skills of both Gasol brothers, key figures in the resurgence and transformation of centers into versatile weapons on the court, as Nikola Jokic exemplifies better than anyone. Within the basketball world, the analysis by a FIBA scout comparing him to the Serbian Denver Nuggets star and three-time NBA MVP is widely known.
Mara’s path, despite his seemingly predestined physique, has been anything but easy. The youngster, who combined football and basketball as a child, ultimately chose his father’s sport at the age of eight after dreaming for a time of emulating former Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas. He started at Basket Lupus, a youth development club that now boasts over 30 teams, but his size and agility soon caught the eye of Casademont Zaragoza, who nurtured him and gave him his professional debut at 16. “I like his enthusiasm and his nerve,” remarked Jaume Ponsarnau, the first-team coach at the time. The player then had his ups and downs with Porfirio Fisac during his only full season in the Liga Endesa, where he averaged 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 12 minutes per game. Too many arguments with the referees, the coach noted.
Despite the desire to shield the player from the inevitable media frenzy surrounding him, his silver medals at the Under-17 World Cup and the Under-18 European Championship before even turning 18 did the rest, placing him on the radar of scouts in the United States. “He will be a unique player, but there’s no need to compare him to anyone. He has remarkable mobility for his height and a great passing ability. His ability to read and understand the game is striking. He anticipates plays. His size influences both his attacking and defensive play,” Javier Zamora, his coach on that junior national team that included talents like Izan Almansa, Hugo González, Álvaro Folgueiras, and Sergio De Larrea, told EL PAÍS.
His decision to move across the Atlantic at 18 was marked by controversy surrounding training rights and the player’s contractual clauses. This is a growing trend given the recent introduction of image rights benefits in college basketball, which effectively transforms the NCAA into another professional competition. In 2023, CAI Zaragoza demanded around $700,000 from the center, who argued that he could leave for free since he didn’t yet have a professional contract. The matter was settled behind closed doors, and to this day, no legal action or final settlement has been made public.
The attraction of the dazzling economic landscape in the United States has prompted a reaction from the ACB and the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) in recent times. The Liga U was created, dedicated to providing more opportunities for talented under-22 players in Spain, and this year the FEB launched a comprehensive monitoring program for Spaniards who decide to make the leap to North America. Chus Mateo, the Spanish national team coach, is eagerly awaiting Mara’s arrival on the senior team after witnessing him shine firsthand at the grand final in Indianapolis. “He’s a pillar of his team, both offensively and defensively. Defensively, he’s made a lot of progress and is becoming increasingly solid with his shot-blocking, taking full advantage of his wingspan. And offensively, he’s a key player for Michigan, both in the post and in creating plays,” he said after the game.
Mara’s breakout season with the Wolverines came after two disappointing years at UCLA, the most decorated college basketball program in the country (11 titles). There, Mara encountered a very demanding coach, Mick Cronin, and didn’t get the playing time he expected despite his tremendous effort in practice and limited opportunities on the court. NCAA rule changes allowed him to explore other options and sign with Michigan, where the entire starting lineup was built by acquiring underused talent from other teams.
Dustin May, the coach, managed to unite the group through a free-flowing approach to the game, without too many rigid strategies beyond a strong commitment to defense. The coach gave Mara the confidence and freedom — and playing time — that he hadn’t found with his two previous teams, and the center responded with averages of 12 points and seven rebounds this season, during which he was the best shot blocker in the Big Ten, his conference. “I’m very happy and grateful to be part of this group. It’s been quite a process coming from two years where I didn’t have the opportunity to show what I was capable of and now being in this position. It’s been a long, tough, but also fun year,” the player reflected.
The icing on the cake was his standout performance in the NCAA Final Four after a magnificent March Madness. In the semifinals, he led his team with 26 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks — the best game of his career. He was also key in the final, intimidating opposing attackers and contributing eight points and four rebounds, most of them at crucial moments in the 69-63 victory against UConn. “Aday has worked incredibly hard, and it takes time to develop into a role like this. He’s physically more mature now. Could we have imagined this? We watched his tapes playing with the Spanish national team and Zaragoza, and he had already shown glimpses of what he is today,” May summarized.
Mara’s next stop, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will be the NBA Draft at the end of June.
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