interview
Isaiah Hartenstein stands with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA finals. He is only four victories away from it, the second German NBA-champion to become. In the Best-of-Seven-Final series plays Hartenstein from Thursday night (June 5th, 2025, local time) Indiana Pacers. The Thunder are the best team in the main round as a favorite for the title. In the sports show interview, the 27-year-old NBA star speaks about the successful last years, the pressure before the finals and his $ 80 million contract.
Sports show: You are only the fifth German in the NBA finals overall and could be the second German after Dirk Nowitzki, who wins the NBA title. How does that feel?
Isaiah Hartenstein: It definitely feels good. I think I have five Germans in the NBA finals is something special. It shows how very German basketball develops. Yes, you play for your name, you play for your team, but you also play for Germany. If we were to win the title, it would not only be for me, but also for basketball Germany.
Sports show: The Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) are the favorites for the title. Does that put you pressure?
Hartenstein: I think we do a good job not to fly too high or too deep. Especially in the Playoffs If there is so much media presence, if you win a game, you are the next NBA dynasty, if you lose a game, you are only overrated. You have to hide that. Our trainer says that you have to imagine that the reporters have make -up on their face, then you look at them a little differently. We focus on ourselves.
Sports show: What are the skills that OKC needs from you now?
Hartenstein: There are many things, but that also makes us so strong that we have many different skills in the team. I am very physical and a good rebounder. In addition mine Defensemy passing and mine Pick-and-roll-Play, all of these are things that I bring with me, but my role also changes in every series. In the first round I had more the ball and fit more, now I was needed more in the defense in the Conference Finals. That makes the playoffs so cool, you can adapt every series.
Sports show: They started their career in Quakenbrück in Lower Saxony and are then over the G-Leaguethe development league of the NBA, and several NBA teams finally came to Oklahoma. Now they are in the NBA finals. Did you already have time to look back?
Hartenstein: I think the last two seasons have proven that I am one of the best centers in the league and that, where I go, I will win the team. But yes, it’s crazy. In the youth, coaches said you won’t even play in the BBL. Then I was in the G-League finals and now I’m in the NBA finals. I think many can learn from having to work hard and have to believe in yourself. I didn’t take the easiest way, but that even helps me now.
Sports show: There were youth coaches who said, so that won’t be with the basketball Bundesliga?
Hartenstein: Yes, in the Lower Saxony selection, a trainer said to me: “I don’t think you can make you a professional basketball player.” As a youth player, I didn’t make it to the national team. That also motivated me, I wanted to show them that I was one of the best in Germany, Europe and the world. That helped me to work more than everyone else. My father, he always believed in me. He knew I had a chance, but I have to do more than everyone else. That’s why I caught up with so many other players my age. Until there was a point where they couldn’t get around me anymore. I have to thank my father very much.
Sports show: They have married in the past two years, have become a father, have signed a contract over 3 years / 87 million. It couldn’t have run much better for two years, right?
Hartenstein: In any case. There were years before it was not that easy. Before I with the Clipper signed (2021 note of the editorial team), I made a visualization board with my wife. A kind of target board that we want to achieve. It’s strange, almost everything I had in my head has become true. In this time I had only signed one contract for the training camp and wrote down on the “$ 80 million contract” board. Nobody believed in it. I have Starting Big wrote on it. I am now. The only thing that is still missing is an NBA trophy, which also says. If this works this year, it would be cool to look back and to see that everything I visualized has come true.
Sports show: The arena in Oklahoma is considered one of the loudest in the NBA. The fans receive the team at the airport when they land again, regardless of the time. Have you already played with six NBA teams, does the team have a special connection to the fans?
Hartenstein: They are always there at the airport when we arrive. But in general how much the city our team loves is something special. You don’t have that everywhere, we are also the only big sports team here in Oklahoma City and the fans are fully behind us.
Sports show: You get that Support on the Court Because with?
Hartenstein: You get an energy boost. But sometimes you don’t even notice how loud it is because you are focused on the game. If you in this “Flow-State“Get in, then you hide everything. This is a strange feeling when your family says after the game:” It was so loud today “. And you don’t notice it yourself.
Sports show: The women’s basketball championship is now starting in June and at the end of summer the men’s basketball chamber is still. Will you follow the tournaments?
Hartenstein: I will definitely support both tournaments and look forward to it. I think that’s a cool tournament summer for Germany. I now focus on the finals and then look at how things go on.
Sports show: How do the finals go out?
Hartenstein: (laughs) I can’t say that. But we have a good chance and go in confidently.