Aday Mara was a massive presence in Michigan's huge lineup that carried the Wolverines to their first NCAA championship since 1989. He's now a lottery prospect in the NBA draft.
The 7-foot-3, 260-pound center is the headliner among the big men, a position group with a shorter line of top prospects compared to the guards and forwards. The list includes Washington's Hannes Steinbach, Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance and Houston's Chris Cenac Jr.
Here’s a
look at the some of the top big men entering the first round Tuesday night:
STRENGTHS: The junior from Spain projects as a defensive force, leading all players measured at the combine in standing reach (9-9) and ranking second in wingspan (7-6).
Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists while ranking sixth nationally in blocks (2.6) in 23.4 minutes. He shot 66.8% overall, with Synergy charting post-ups as making up 34.8% of his possession usage. He had steady work as the roller in pick-and-roll scenarios and as a cutter, and predictably earned an “Excellent” rating from Synergy for finishing at the rim (97th percentile).
Mara stood out in a Final Four romp against fellow No. 1 seed Arizona with a career-best 26 points on 11-for-16 shooting with nine rebounds and two blocks.
CONCERNS: Mara must improve at the line (56.4%). It's unclear what type of offense he'll offer outside of finishing in the paint, though he did make 3 of 10 3-pointers last season in his first foray beyond the arc.
STRENGTHS: The 6-10, 248-pound freshman from Germany was a steady producer as a scorer (18.5) and rebounder (national-best 11.8).
The work on the glass stands out, with Steinbach having a 24-rebound game against USC and five other games with at least 15 boards. He also had 10 games with at least six offensive rebounds, with putbacks accounting for 17.2% of his possession usage, according to Synergy. His game otherwise leaned on being the roll man in pick-and-rolls, on post-ups and as a cutter.
Steinbach shot 57.7% overall, and he showed some inside-out skills by hitting 18 3s (34%) that could also have him work as a 4-man. He averaged 1.2 blocks with a better than 7-2 wingspan.
CONCERNS: He's not an explosive athlete, which could show in facing opponents with length or defending skilled opponents. He had more turnovers (59) than assists (47) to raise uncertainty about how he can contribute as a complementary playmaker. —
STRENGTHS: Physical tools stand out for the Kentucky sophomore. Quaintance has a strong frame (6-9, 253) and good measurables, including ranking fourth at the combine in wingspan (better than 7-5) and having big hands (tied for combine lead with 11-inch width, tied for second with a 9.5-inch length).
CONCERNS: Health. Quaintance tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in February 2025 while at Arizona State. He returned only to play four games at Kentucky while dealing with lingering issues in that knee.
That leaves a limited evaluation sample. He averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 24 games at Arizona State before the injury. He made his Kentucky debut in December with 10 points and eight rebounds against St. John's, but managed 10 points and 12 rebounds over the next three games and played his final game Jan. 7.
STRENGTHS: The 6-11, 240-pound Houston freshman has rangy skills and intriguing tools. The McDonald’s all-American was MVP of the NBPA Top 100 camp in summer 2024, then started 36 games for Kelvin Sampson's top-10 team where defense, toughness and rebounding is a prerequisite to play.
Cenac was fifth among combine players with a 7-5 wingspan. He led the Cougars in rebounding (7.9) while hitting 30 3-pointers to show inside-out skills.
CONCERNS: He didn't consistently pop, instead settling into a complementary role while averaging 9.5 points. He had three or fewer made baskets in nearly half his games (18 of 37). He didn't get to the line often (58 attempts in 37 games) and shot poorly when he did (62.1%). He also committed more turnovers (33) than assists (27).
— HENRI VEESAAR: The 6-11, 227-pound fourth-year junior from Estonia had a breakout year at North Carolina (17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds). He's a late first-round prospect who runs the floor and fits today’s desired mold of bigs with space-creating range. He made 42.6% on 3s (40 of 94) at UNC and earned an “Excellent” rating from Synergy for his catch-and-shoot jumper, coming after shooting just 31.6% (19 of 60) from behind the arc in two seasons at Arizona.
— TARRIS REED JR.: The 6-10, 264-pound senior was an interior force in UConn's run to the NCAA final. He had career-high averages of 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 blocks — including 31 points and 27 rebounds in the first-round NCAA win against Furman to become the first player since Houston's Elvin Hayes in 1968 to post a 30/25 game in March Madness. The late first-round prospect has a better than 7-4 wingspan.
— ZUBY EJIOFOR: The 6-8, 245-pound senior was a physical presence in St. John's run to the Sweet 16. Ejiofor has a high motor, with 15.4% of his possession usage coming on offensive-rebound putbacks, according to Synergy. His sturdy frame and 7-2 wingspan that offers defensive potential with his ability to tussle in the paint and move his feet to handle switches. The late first-round prospect made 18 of 59 3s (30.5%) to offer at least some potential to step outside.
— UGONNA ONYENSO: The 6-11, 237-pound Virginia senior is an intriguing second-round flier as a rim protector with a nearly 7-5 wingspan. He stood out against top pro prospect Cameron Boozer of Duke, harassing the eventual Associated Press national player of the year into season-low outputs (13 points, 3-of-17 shooting) while blocking four of his shots in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title game. Onyenso's nine blocks in that game pushed him to 21 for the tournament, breaking a record held by former Wake Forest big man and NBA champion Tim Duncan.
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