With the championship-winning Oklahoma City Thunder enjoying the offseason, it's crucial to look at the aspects that have led the team to a title, including one key acquisition being big man Isaiah Hartenstein.
As the Thunder lock in their players on new contracts, with possibly Hartenstein shortly, the center also speaks on originally coming to Oklahoma City, having been with the New York Knicks before.
Hartenstein was on “The Rich Eisen Show,” where the host asked what led him to go to Oklahoma City in the first place with his answer some might see as a dig at New York and the offense revolving around star Jalen Brunson.
The 27-year-old mentioned being impressed with the way Sam Presti built the team and how the team performs a style of basketball that fits him, which includes “playing together.”
“Yeah, I think it was just a mixture of things. I mean, Sam Presti has a great culture he built out there,” Hartenstein said. “They were first in the West the year before. Just playing style kind of fit me pretty good. We’re moving the ball, playing together. And then also I'm not going to lie, I think the money helped a little bit too.”
One could say that it's a reach to think that Hartenstein's comments were throwing shade at the Knicks, but there has been a section of the basketball world that has criticized New York for the lack of ball movement and relying on Brunson.
Looking back at when the Thunder recruited Hartenstein originally turned out to be a showcase for how much the team wanted the Houston product. Hartenstein became a key rotational piece for Oklahoma City and even a starter for some time, which led to an extra level of versatility, something the team envisioned when trying to sign him.
“I know they were probably pissed a little bit at the beginning because my agent told them I was in Houston,” Hartenstein said, per the team's YouTube page. “So they were going to fly to Houston first, which is like an hour flight. Then I told my agent, ‘Nah, I’m in Eugene, Oregon.’ So that kind of added, I think, like four more hours to their flight.”
“For them to even come all the way out to Eugene to sit down with me to show the interest they had in me, but also, how they wanted to help me get better, a lot of gratitude for Sam [Presti], believing in me and giving me a chance to be in this situation,” Hartenstein added. “I’m just grateful.”
At any rate, the Thunder look to further improve next season after winning close to 70 games, being No. 1 in the West, and ultimately capturing the championship.
