Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara is undoubtedly one of the best big men in the country and has been playing at an All-Big Ten level this season. But it appears his unique offensive skillset is expanding even further to the perimeter.
In the win at Ohio State on Sunday, Mara made his first two three-pointers of his career, and he looked comfortable doing so. If Mara can hit perimeter shots on a consistent basis, it will make Michigan’s offense all the more dangerous.
“After three years without shooting or making a three-pointer, I know it’s in my game, but I have to get confidence back,” Mara told the media after the Ohio State game. “I’m happy I was able to help the team with those shots. I’m just going to keep taking good shots.”
Mara has shown he has more than enough skill and touch to be an effective perimeter shooter, but it sounds like he just has to increase his confidence level and continue to practice those shots in order to be more consistent.
“I’ve been practicing it, but I just didn’t want to rush and I don’t want to take any bad shots,” Mara said. “When I saw that I was open, I just shot it. I’m confident with my shot. I just haven’t shot it for two years, but I know it’s still there.”
It can be hard for a player to incorporate something new to their game, but Mara has put a lot of work into expanding his range. Through one game, it seems to have paid off after not shooting any three-pointers in two years at UCLA.
Mara’s performance at Ohio State doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to be a knock-down shooter moving forward, but it’s a positive sign for his improvement and shows just how much the coaching staff focuses on each player’s overall development.
“We’ve spent a lot of time working on his three-point shot and we want it to be a part of his game going forward,” head coach Dusty May said. “He hasn’t shot very many, but it paid off for us (vs Ohio State) because those three-pointers were big.”
In addition to hitting shots from the perimeter, May said Mara is becoming more of a complete and consistent player on both ends of the court. He put up a career-high 24 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks at Ohio State on Sunday.
“He does so many things well. I was more impressed with his rim protection and the way he was running the floor,” May said. “If he runs the floor and puts pressure on the rim, he’s a force. He’s come a long way. I’m proud of the big fella.”
It’s key for Mara to continue to protect the rim at an elite level and score at a high rate in that area, but if he truly develops into a legitimate threat from beyond the arc, it will unlock a new wrinkle in Michigan’s already-dynamic offense.
