The Philadelphia 76ers have their focus on preparing for the final stretch run and making the playoffs, but it doesn’t hurt to look ahead to the offseason and see what type of improvements they can make to the roster.
The Sixers made an interesting move at the deadline when they sent fan favorite Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they did get four draft picks in return. One of those picks was a first-rounder in 2026 via the Houston Rockets so Philadelphia figures to be involved now in the draft.
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A mock draft put together by Bleacher Report has the Sixers selecting Michigan big man Aday Mara with the No. 25 pick of the draft:
Aday Mara had some eye-opening moments during Michigan’s heavily-scouted game against Duke, when he was able to showcase his passing, post touch and defensive paint presence.
Those aspects of his game have been on display all season. Bad turnovers and dreadful free-throw shooting will turn teams off, but he’s established himself as an enticing weapon for an NBA frontcourt as a 7’3″ big who can facilitate, finish and protect the rim.
This pick will fluctuate in range throughout the rest of the season until the Rockets find their finish to determine where the pick will land. Mara is averaging 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds along with 2.4 assists and 2.6 blocks with the Wolverines after transferring over from UCLA. The Sixers could always use some size so Mara should be an option should they make a selection in June.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 2026 Philadelphia 76ers mock draft: Michigan big man Aday Mara