The Oklahoma City Thunder found themselves pushing back Friday against some wild claims from overseas, as Spanish team Basket Zaragoza asserted they still hold the playing rights to rookie center Aday Mara. This isn’t just some casual rumor, either; the Thunder had to issue an official statement to address it head-on.
OKC Drops the Truth on Zaragoza’s Claims
The Thunder aren’t just sitting back on this one. A spokesperson wasted no time in telling Marc Stein that their stance is crystal clear: Aday Mara played three years of NCAA college basketball. And because of that, as advised by the NBA, there’s no clearance needed from any Spanish team for Mara to play in the big leagues. It’s like, “Thanks for playing, Zaragoza, but we’re good here.”
Basket Zaragoza’s Financial Settlement Demand
But Basket Zaragoza isn’t exactly letting go. According to Johnny Askounis over at EuroHoops.net, the Spanish newspaper Heraldo de Aragon recently reported that Zaragoza is claiming they still hold Mara’s playing rights. And they’re not just making noise, either; the report states they plan to actively block Mara from stepping onto the court for the Thunder unless, and until, a financial settlement is reached. Talk about trying to hold a player hostage!
This whole situation is still unfolding, and it’s definitely a storyline to follow as we get deeper into the season. Mara’s NBA debut hinges on how this plays out, and you know everyone’s watching to see if Basket Zaragoza can actually pull this off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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