The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543210
58 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MARCH 2026 BY JOHN BORTON A day Mara topped out at 7-foot-3 at the tender age of 15 years old. If you think that put him on top of the basket- ball world in his native Zaragoza, Spain, think again. Sure, Michigan's junior transfer cen- ter towered over his classmates at IES El Picarral, in the Spanish city of just under 700,000 — he always had. But strength and coordination don't always keep up with explosive bone growth and soaring stature. The son of 6-7 Francisco Mara, who played professional basketball for CB Zaragoza, and 6-3 Angélica Gómez, a performer for Spain's women's national volleyball team, didn't exactly qualify as a natural. "I've always been a tall kid," Mara re- called. "In my class at school, at 6 years old, I was a head above everyone. I've al- ways been super tall." But stardom and scholarships definitely had to wait. "When you're a kid, there's not many advantages," he noted, regarding his tow- ering presence. "My knees were hurting, my heels, my whole body. Every week, it was changing. Every week was something different. My bones were growing, and my muscles didn't go at the same speed. I would always have pain in my tendons, things like that. "When I was a kid, it was difficult, even playing in sports. I wasn't able to move like the other kids. They'd already de- veloped their bodies. They were strong. They were ready for playing and running. I struggled a little bit. "When I stopped growing and I got stronger, it just went away. I changed all the disadvantages to advantages by play- ing basketball. Day-to-day, maybe I have to duck going through the door or in the planes and buses. Right now, it's more advantage than disadvantage." Mara says it with the easy grin of some- one who absolutely loves the advantages he presently carries. He loves his team- mates, loves Michigan, and he's looking down from near the very top of the college basketball world. The transfer from UCLA carried high hopes when he moved from Los Angeles to Ann Arbor, given what he'd experienced playing against Dusty May's crew a year ago. With Michigan's record at 22-1 through Feb. 10, both the team's high-flying bas- ketball reality and Mara's fit with team- mates have exceeded his hopes, he ac- knowledged. "It's been even better than expected," Mara said. "We have a really good group of people here — humble players, workers. We also have a lot of fun playing basket- ball and off the court, in the summer. I've been doing a lot of things off the court. It's been amazing so far. I'm just grateful that I've had the opportunity to be here, to be with this group of people." FROM ZARAGOZA TO ANN ARBOR The United States might be the dream landing spot for Europeans seeking the top levels of their sport. That doesn't mean they don't think about or dream about home. Mara certainly does, recall- ing fondly his years growing up in the northeastern Spanish city, located in a basin surrounded by the Sistema Ibérico mountain range to the south and west, and the Pyrenees foothills to the north. "I miss a lot in Spain," he said. "It was the most important place. It's where I grew up, with my family, my friends. Playing BIG ADDITION Aday Mara Proves Long On Appreciation And Worth As A Teammate