Before Isaiah Hartenstein was chasing an NBA title with the Thunder — let alone becoming a staple big man in the league — he was leading the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to a G League championship in 2019 and earned Finals MVP honors along the way.
Funny how fast time flies.
“It was four years ago I was in the G League Finals,” Hartenstein recalled as he spoke to reporters on the eve of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.
“Now, having an opportunity to be here, having a big role — it’s something special.”
Isiaiah Hartenstein hits a 3-pointer sitting on the sidelines, but Jaylin Williams and Cason Wallace said the shot touched Lu Dort’s.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 4, 2025
(via @TomerAzarly)
Hartenstein’s journey, however, has been anything but straightforward.
A second-round pick by the Houston Rockets in 2017, the German-American big man spent much of his early career bouncing between G League assignments, crafting a game that didn’t quite fit with the everchanging style of NBA play.
G League Finals ?? NBA Finals
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) June 2, 2025
Isaiah Hartenstein spent THREE YEARS in the G League, won Finals MVP with the @rgvvipers in 2019, and will be starring in the 2025 NBA Finals presented by @youtubetv! 🏆
“I think the mental part was the hardest,” the 27-year-old big man admitted.
He continued: “Everyone comes into the league used to being the guy. I had to figure out my role — how I could get on the floor and help a team win.”
That clarity didn’t come overnight as stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and LA Clippers helped sharpen his skill set and redefine his game.
But it was in New York where his value crystallized — anchoring the Knicks’ gritty 2024 playoff run as a glass-eating, rim-protecting force off the bench.
Then came a pivotal career decision. In free agency, Hartenstein chose to leave the bright lights of Madison Square Garden for a young, ascending team in Oklahoma City — one he believed he could grow with.
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“OKC was a team I looked at and thought I could really help,” he bared.
“I didn’t go into the season thinking, ‘We’re going to the Finals.’ But I knew we could take steps. That’s how we approached it — just getting better every day,” Hartenstein reiterated.
That climb wasn’t without setbacks as the lefty big man missed 25 games during the regular season, first recovering from a broken hand suffered in the preseason, then later sidelined by a nagging calf strain.
Still, he stayed committed — to the team, to his role, and to the work.
“I took ownership of why I wasn’t playing earlier in my career. I didn’t blame anyone else. I watched guys like Draymond Green, studied his defense. That helped me a lot — especially when defense was one of the weaker parts of my game.”
Now, Hartenstein’s grind has come full circle.
He’s no longer fighting for minutes or proving he belongs — he’s at center stage, anchoring one of the league’s stingiest defense and providing physicality, size, and maturity alongside teammate Chet Holmgren in the paint.
“I hope guys down there now can see my journey and know it’s possible. If you do the right things, put in the work, your shot will come,” Hartenstein reminded.
His has. And this time, the lights are far brighter.
