"He was incredible. He had one of those moments of great impact after the block and then finished with the dunk. The truth is, he didn't seem overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the game," Diagneault added about Aday's performance, highlighting his influence within the team's system.
The Thunder coach was not surprised by the Zaragoza native's strong performance "after what we saw in preseason" and hinted that his importance could increase as the season progresses. "I think he has shown that he can be an important player, even though he didn't play many minutes, and he is someone we trust. We are going to trust him much more after his performance in such a high-level game as this one against the Spurs," he said.
Aday has made an immediate impression with one of the franchises expected to contend for the championship, and it appears the center will be one of the key pieces in the Thunder's bid to win their second title. Now everything will depend on his work, his coach's confidence and the course of a season in which Mara wants to make his mark.
