Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Oklahoma City Thunder addressed key roster needs by selecting Michigan center Aday Mara at No. 12 and trading up to draft Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz at No. 16.
- Mara provides elite rim protection and offensive versatility while Stirtz offers elite playmaking and shooting to deepen OKC's backcourt.
- Both picks should provide immediate value behind the Thunder's core and give Presti valuable flexibility as Oklahoma City eyes another deep playoff run.
In completely predictable fashion, Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder front office crushed the 2026 NBA Draft. A month removed from a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals, OKC is tooling up for another deep run — potentially with those pesky Spurs in mind.
The Thunder entered draft night shrouded in trade speculation at both No. 12 and No. 17, but with a looming financial crunch, Presti is understandably keen on adding ready-made contributors on rookie-scale contracts. OKC selected Michigan center Aday Mara at No. 12, then moved up from No. 17 to No. 16 in a trade with Memphis to acquire Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz.
OKC maximized value in the 2026 NBA Draft
Aday Mara was FanSided's No. 5 prospect. Bennett Stirtz ranked No. 12 on our final Big Board. Those rankings did not account for team fit, of course, but both should thrive in Oklahoma City.
Mara is less a hedge against Isaiah Hartenstein's upcoming free agency (spoiler alert: he's re-signing) and more an expansion of OKC's optionality and versatility in the frontcourt. Same for Stirtz, who joins a loaded backcourt with a ton of different, synergistic skill sets.
If you look at that Western Conference Finals series against San Antonio, what led to OKC's demise? Obviously the Victor Wembanyama matchup was key. Mara is not going to dance with Wemby on the perimeter or anything, but his 9-foot-9 standing reach was the second-longest in Combine history. He gives OKC another elite rim protector to fold in next to Chet Holmgren in certain matchups.
San Antonio got whatever it wanted at the rim in that OKC series. Holmgren was largely neutralized. Mara can very much empower Holmgren as a roamer while negating Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle types who like to live with two feet in the paint.
The offensive functionality is fun, too. Mara can learn a ton from Hartenstein as he looks to develop into a full-blown playmaking hub at the elbow. Mara already has the vision, touch and creativity as a passer. By virtue of his massive frame, he will give OKC's guards some separation with his screens. Next up is playing with more physicality and intention — getting those passes off quicker, rolling to the rim with extra force and fine-tuning his fundamentals.
As for Stirtz, the "why another guard" question is frequent and fair. But as you may have noticed, OKC tends to find playing time for all its guards. And it's because all those guards play different styles and bring different qualities, often additive qualities, to the rotation. Yet all align with OKC's general mandate to pressure the rim, make quick decisions and defend.
Stirtz is the weakest link defensively in OKC's backcourt on day one. He simply lacks the core strength to battle at the point of attack. That said, he's a smart and savvy team defender who gets his hands into a lot of passing lanes. The Thunder should surround him with enough bullies to mitigate Stirtz's liabilities and empower his strengths.
Again, going back to the OKC series, what went wrong? Well, Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams were hurt. And while Cason Wallace, Jared McCain and Alex Caruso all had their moments, the Thunder's limited playmaking depth behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was exposed. OKC needed another guard who can get them into easy offense.
Stirtz is a prodigious pick-and-roll guard and a buttery pull-up shooter, whether he's uncorking a step-back 3 or gliding into an elbow jumper. His poise, command of tempo and ability to limit turnovers, despite basically functioning as a one-man show at Iowa, points to a singularly elite basketball IQ. More than anything, Stirtz has the brain to excel in the NBA.
While Stirtz's limited strength and burst has raised questions about his ability to score against NBA defenders, so often scouts undervalue actual production — the tape-evident skill, craft and execution — in favor of long outmoded aesthetic biases. Stirtz shot 70.5 percent at the rim on healthy volume at Iowa. He's not explosive, he's not strong, but he has impeccable footwork and effortless touch. The 22-year-old very much fits OKC's three-level threat, dribble-shoot-pass identity.
OKC's sheer depth at center and guard will probably mean Mara and Stirtz need to work their way up the ladder slowly but surely. Don't expect either to play major minutes on opening night. But if injuries strike, or if the Thunder hit a rut, these are two phenomenal talents with the polish and proven track record needed to step in, step up and help the Thunder in their pursuit of another NBA championship.
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