11. Golden State Warriors
Aday Mara | 7-3 big | 21 years old | Michigan
Mara, by far, helped himself the most in the NCAA Tournament. I had a vote for Final Four Most Outstanding Player and chose Mara because of how he dominated the semifinal against Arizona (going off for 26 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks) and how he completely changed the geometry defensively against Connecticut with his ability to guard Tarris Reed Jr. on an island while also shutting down the interior for drivers.
Three years into his college career, Aday Mara has rediscovered his joy — and emerged as one of the nation’s best defenders.
Mara combines two skills NBA teams seek in their centers: the ability to shut down the paint and read the court out high as a passer. Opponents shot 54.5 percent at the rim this season when Mara was on the court compared to better than 60 percent when he was off it, per CBB Analytics. Opposing teams also shot just 36 percent on 2-pointers from the paint when Mara was on the court.
On offense, Mara is terrific at using his height and feel for the game to dissect what is happening and make the right passing reads, be it a simple handoff or a more complex reaction to find a cutter at the rim. He dished out 2.4 assists per game and shot 66.8 percent from the field. Mara’s hands can be an issue with bobbles and turnovers, and his lateral foot speed is concerning.