2026 NBA Mock Draft: After hiring Michigan's Dusty May, Mavericks take former Wolverines star Aday Mara
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Dusty May was hired by the Dallas Mavericks as head coach on the eve of the 2026 NBA Draft, capping two seasons at Michigan that included a national title this past year.
- Aday Mara, a 7'3" junior center and one of college basketball's best shot blockers, is projected to the Mavericks at No. 9, reuniting him with his former coach.
- The Mavericks have reportedly discussed trading down with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who own picks No. 12 and 17, per NBA insider Marc Stein.
- Dallas already employs centers Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, but the mock argues Mara's size and pick-and-pop upside would complement No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.
- If Mara is off the board, the mock names Michigan frontcourt mates Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. as Mavericks alternatives — all three helped Michigan win the title.
- The mock also projects a blockbuster sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, giving Milwaukee two first-round picks (No. 10 and No. 13) to reshape its roster.
- Top of the board: Darryn Peterson to Washington at No. 1, AJ Dybantsa to Utah at No. 2, and Cameron Boozer to Memphis at No. 3.
Why it matters: Hiring a coach and then drafting his former players 48 hours later signals the Mavericks are importing an entire identity rather than tweaking one — and Mara's 7'3" frame directly addresses a frontcourt that, per the mock's own logic, is already crowded with Gafford and Lively II. The mock's Giannis-to-Miami projection would also strip Milwaukee of a superstar and hand the Heat a co-star, reordering the East's balance overnight.
Ask SkimNews
