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6h ago

Aday Mara Helps Michigan Win 2026 NCAA Title, Boosts NBA Draft Stock

The title run vaulted the 7-foot-3 Spaniard into first-round draft talk.

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Michigan center Aday Mara (15) looks for a basket around Connecticut guard Solo Ball (1) and center Eric Reibe (12) during the first half of the NCAA national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday, April 6, 2026.
Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) celebrates the team’s NCAA men's basketball tournament national championship victory Monday, April 6, 2026, after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. © Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Overview

  • Michigan beat UConn 69-63 at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday in the national championship, giving the program its first title since 1989.
  • Aday Mara logged eight points, four rebounds, and key rim protection in the final, shaping the paint even when his box score stayed modest.
  • He averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.6 blocks during the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a 26-point outburst against No. 1 Arizona in the Final Four.
  • The 7-foot-3, 255-pound center won 2026 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after transferring from UCLA to Michigan for a larger role.
  • Former Michigan coach John Beilein praised his long-term upside, Pau Gasol congratulated him after the win, and recent mocks project him in the late first round.