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jun 24 2026Spanish basketball left its mark on the NBA Draft once again. Aday Mara and Sergio de Larrea were selected in the first round of the 2026 edition, confirming the excellent moment of a new generation that continues to make its way toward the world's best league.
The big news of the night came with Aday Mara, selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 12th pick. The Zaragoza center capped off a spectacular rise that has taken him from the lower categories of Casademont Zaragoza to becoming one of the most interesting prospects in international basketball.
After two difficult seasons at UCLA, Mara found his place at Michigan, where he truly exploded during the 2025-26 campaign. His averages of 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 blocks earned him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors and made him a fundamental piece of the team that won the NCAA championship.
Standing 2.21 meters tall with a wingspan close to 2.31 meters, the Spanish big man lands with one of the NBA's most solid organizations. The Thunder, champions and one of the franchises with the best structure for developing young talent, are betting on a player whose defensive potential, rim protection ability, and court vision make him a very different profile from most traditional centers.
Then came the second major celebration for Spanish basketball. Sergio de Larrea was selected with the 25th pick of the first round. Initially the pick belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers, though his rights later became tied to the New York Knicks, and subsequently sent to the Dallas Mavericks following the moves made during Draft night.
The Valencia wing arrives in the NBA after establishing himself as one of the great prospects in European basketball. During the 2025-26 season he averaged 9.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in the Liga Endesa, while also winning the Supercopa Endesa and being named tournament MVP and receiving the award for Best Young Player of the competition.
De Larrea has earned the respect of scouts thanks to his court intelligence, his ability to generate offense, his versatility across multiple wing positions, and an increasingly reliable three-point shot. Many analysts believed he could become one of the great steals of the first round due to his experience at the highest level of European basketball despite being only 20 years old.
The selection of both players represents one of the greatest recent successes for Spanish basketball in the Draft. Mara becomes one of the highest-drafted Spaniards in history, while De Larrea sees his meteoric progression rewarded—a journey that has taken him from Valencia Basket's lower categories to becoming a first-round pick.
Two names, two different paths, and one same destination: the NBA. The future of Spanish basketball has just gained two new representatives in the world's best league.
