Michigan gets another big transfer portal addition to help replace elite 7-footer duo

Former UCLA Bruin Aday Mara has announced his plans to transfer to Michigan. The 7’3” center is the fourth commitment Dusty May has gotten via the portal to help build what is looking like the top transfer class in college basketball.

Mara spent his first two seasons at the college level in Los Angeles where he averaged 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds on 53.5% shooting from the field. He was used in a very limited role on Mick Cronin’s team, but got much more playing time in the second half of this past season. During that time he was a major factor on both ends of the floor as he went for double figures scoring seven times and tallied 36 blocks over a span of 16 games.

Mara will be key in replacing a pair of 7-footers in Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf who has not officially made an announcement, but it is more than likely that he is heading to the NBA. Despite being extremely tall, Mara moves very well for his size as one of the top ten tallest players in college basketball last season. One thing to keep an eye on is his conditioning and durability which took a blow due to an illness and led to him logging just seven games with over 20 minutes while at UCLA. 

The Spaniard will be joined down low by fellow transfers Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg, assuming he does not enter the draft, to form a powerful big man trio in the Big Ten. They also return forward Will Tschetter who had been a big role player and glue guy down low in Ann Arbor. 

As things currently stand in the Big Ten, Michigan and Purdue look like the clear two favorites. Coming off a Sweet 16 in Dusty May’s first year with several key transfer additions and a few role players coming back, Michigan will have high hopes for next year and is looking like a definitive contender for a national title.