Five Spanish players started the season on NBA rosters, and after the first month the picture is very uneven. One has found a stable spot in the rotation of the Western Conference's defending runner-up, another had a brilliant night before getting injured, two are waiting their moment at the end of the bench, and the last one hasn't even been able to debut.
Mara, from prospect to role player
If October has a Spanish protagonist, it's Aday Mara. The Zaragoza center has played all five Thunder games and his presence on the court has grown as Mark Daigneault's team lost key players. Already in his debut in San Antonio, he left his mark with a block on Victor Wembanyama and an alley-oop on the next play. With Chet Holmgren dealing with a knee issue and Jalen Williams sidelined by surgery, the minutes came naturally: against the Suns he recorded his first NBA double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds) and in Dallas he reached his season high in minutes, 21.
His numbers—5.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.4 blocks in less than 16 minutes—are still those of a rookie, but his 55% shooting and his ability to protect the rim are turning him into a useful piece for a team that aspires to everything.
Read also:
- Aday Mara records his first NBA double-double
- Flagg decides in Miami and De Larrea gets injured (113-109)
- NBA Night: 44 from Curry, Jokić's 200th triple-double and Thunder's first loss
De Larrea, from explosion to the infirmary
Sergio de Larrea's October story fits into two nights. On the 24th, with the Mavericks decimated by injuries, the Valladolid point guard posted 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists against the Spurs, shooting 9 of 15. It was the best game by a Spanish player so far this season. Two days later, in Miami, a bad fall while receiving an inbound pass forced him to leave in the second quarter with a right knee sprain. He hasn't played since. Outside of his great night, he had barely seen any minutes, and his balance is 5.3 points in 11.5 minutes over four games.
In Dallas, he's joined in the infirmary by Santi Aldama, who has yet to debut this season while recovering from knee surgery.
Hugo and Baba, minutes in dribs and drabs
Hugo González and Baba Miller share a situation: end-of-bench players who take advantage of the openings that arise. The Madrid native had his opportunity against the Bulls, in a game the Celtics won by 35, with 13 points, 5 rebounds and the team's best plus-minus (+34). That was almost all of his October: in the other three games he totaled 20 minutes and zero points, averaging 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds.
Baba Miller, meanwhile, has progressed with the Clippers. He went from two and a half minutes against the Thunder to 17 in the derby against the Lakers, where he had his best game: 4 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. In his three appearances he has 2.7 points and 3.7 rebounds, shooting 4 of 5.
Best games of the month
- De Larrea: 21 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast vs. Spurs (October 24)
- Hugo González: 13 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast vs. Bulls (October 26)
- Aday Mara: 11 pts, 10 reb, 2 blk vs. Suns (October 26)
- Baba Miller: 4 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk vs. Lakers (October 28)
Spanish players in the NBA after October
| Player | Team | GP | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | Blk |
| Aday Mara | Thunder | 5 | 15.8 | 5.6 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| Sergio de Larrea | Mavericks | 4 | 11.5 | 5.3 | — | — | — |
| Hugo González | Celtics | 4 | 10.8 | 3.3 | 2.5 | — | — |
| Baba Miller | Clippers | 3 | 9.7 | 2.7 | 3.7 | — | — |
| Santi Aldama | Mavericks | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |