On December 20, 2024, shortly before the Oklahoma City Thunder’s game against the Miami Heat, I had the opportunity to speak with Isaiah Hartenstein.
Since his debut for the Thunder, Hartenstein has performed impressively. He has averaged 12.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. These all-around great statistics highlight his positive impact on the team, which has seen significant improvement on defense and interior scoring since his arrival.
In the interview, Hartenstein looked back on his NBA beginnings, shared how he found his role in the league with the Clippers, praised fellow German big man Moritz Wagner and talked about his NBA Cup impressions.
Aurelia Rieke: “Hi Isaiah, I find it so impressive: you were harmonizing so well with the Knicks, and then you come to Oklahoma, hurt your hand, were out for a while, but come right back like nothing happened. How did you manage to keep your game shape in that time? Normally you need some time to get back into it.”
Isaiah Hartenstein: “I mean, the only thing I could do was run. I couldn’t shoot. So it was just stay in shape and run.”
AR: “Did you have a specific program that you stuck to?”
IH: “You know a little bit what you have to do. But I think the Thunder helped with that. I said I wanted to simulate a game as best I could. It’s hard to do that, but because of all the running, we’ve managed it quite well.”
AR: “When you look back at where you were a few years ago and where you are now – suddenly everyone is reporting on you, you’ve become such an important piece of the puzzle. When you look back yourself, do you think it’s just down to experience? It’s often said that it takes time to gain the experience you need to eventually play for a championship. What do you think?”
IH: “I think it’s a mixture of both. In the NBA, it’s always a matter of timing, circumstances and experience. With the Rockets it was like this: I had a month where I played well and then we switched to small-ball. That was a weird situation. In Denver, it was Covid and I was playing behind Jokic. But then I really found my role when I was with the Clippers. I always worked on myself, got better and worked on my weaknesses.
I always knew that if I got my right chance, I could show that I was a starter in the NBA. But sometimes you just have to “play the game”. Moritz is in a similar situation, I think. For me, he’s a starter in the NBA. But sometimes it’s about other things. I think his documentary showed that quite well. In Germany, maybe it wasn’t really understood, but salary plays a role. The players who earn more, often get more playing time. It’s about status and that.”
AR: “I also think that when Paolo was out injured and Moritz came on as a starter in the next game, I really liked him in that role. I’d like to see him as a starter more often. For me, Moritz is one of the most underrated players in the NBA…. [Since this interview, Moritz Wagner has unfortunately suffered a serious injury and will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, editor’s note]… One more quick question about the NBA Cup: How was it for you? Do you like the concept?”
IH: “I like it. I think it’s something cool, especially in the middle of the regular season, to get some momentum going. Playing for some extra money isn’t bad either. It’s a bit similar to Europe, but being in Vegas was weird. It was such a weird mix – it didn’t really feel like a playoff game, it didn’t really feel like a regular season game, but it was kind of cool. Knockout games are just fun.”
In the game against the Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder put on another convincing performance, defeating Miami 104-97. Hartenstein had a significant impact on the game, scoring 13 points and grabbing a season-high 18 rebounds, including five offensive rebounds.
