Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein is enjoying his climb in the NBA

Not way back, Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein found solace in a psychology book that helped him address the stress and reality of being an NBA journeyman. The reality now is the big man’s stability and the ability to breathe a sigh of relief after signing an $87 million contract after six difficult seasons in the NBA.

But knowing the struggle well, all that cash won’t let him loosen the survival mentality that is gotten him this far.

“The moment I signed the contract, it was something special,” Hartenstein recently told Andscape. “I’m just making my way through the NBA. Coming out of the G League with the (Houston) Rockets and being sent back to the lineup consistently proved that I used to be ready for it. It was never easy. It wasn’t relief, but excitement.

“I didn’t feel like I could let off the gas. The labor finally paid off, regardless that it took slightly longer than I assumed. I used to be excited and at the same time motivated because I had proven myself.

Hartenstein played for the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers and New York Knicks from 2018 to 2024. The 7-foot-2, 250-pound player also spent a while early in his NBA profession playing in the G League for the Rio Grande Vipers. In the June 23, 2020 Rockets press release announcing the signing of David Nwaba, the team simply stated at the end: “As a result, the Rockets have waived center Isaiah Hartenstein. He was chosen forty third overall by Houston in the 2017 NBA Draft and played in a complete of 51 games as a Rocket. No other statistics were included.

On November 30, 2020, the Nuggets signed Hartenstein to a two-year, $3.3 million contract, who will probably be the backup to All-Star center Nikola Jokic. Hartenstein’s father, former Oregon center Florian, frolicked in Denver with his son to offer support, drive him to basketball practices and even cook meals. The stress was further intensified by the proven fact that there is a coronavirus pandemic.

“Overall, it was difficult to play under Jokic for about eight minutes a game,” Hartenstein said. “Things weren’t going well. Denver was probably the hardest time. It was after Covid and for the first time I felt like maybe it wasn’t going to work out. But I just kept talking.”

Hartenstein has at all times been a voracious reader. Hoping to assist himself mentally on and off the court, he began searching the Internet for sports psychology books that would give him guidance. George Mumford found them. NBA legend Michael Jordan once admitted that Mumford helped him turn into a greater leader. Mumford also helped former Los Angeles Lakers stars corresponding to Shaquille O’Neal, Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant.

Mumford, who worked with Julius Erving at UMass, is a widely respected public speaker and coach who shares his story, strategies and proven techniques for improving athletic performance in the popular book. Hartenstein is credited with helping turn his NBA profession around in Denver by deepening his “mental space and mental preparation.”

“It became clear to me. I used to be in a state where I needed to work more (on my mentality) and it worked from there,” Hartenstein said of . “The most significant thing it taught me was to remain present and be more process-oriented.

“There will be ups and downs, but don’t go too high or too low. You’re going to have some bad games. Don’t let this continue. Move on to the next thing. Control what you can control.”

Hartenstein played sparingly for the Nuggets before being traded to the Cavaliers on March 25, 2021. He showed signs of being a proven NBA player with the Cavaliers, averaging 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16 games during the 2020-21 season. He then signed with the Clippers on September 13, 2021, regardless that it was a one-year minimum contract. Hartenstein joined the Clippers and averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds off the bench in 17.9 minutes in 68 contests in 2021-22.

Hartenstein believes his time with the Clippers proved he was an NBA center.

“That was the first season I was consistently in the rotation,” Hartenstein said. “I had good months with the Rockets, but the Clippers were the most consistent (of the season).”

The NBA nomad was rewarded with his first contract with an annual salary exceeding $2 million, signing a two-year, $16 million contract with the Knicks on July 1, 2022. He averaged 6.3 points and seven.4 rebounds per game in 157 games with the Knicks from 2022-24. Most importantly, Hartenstein was New York’s successful starting center during the regular season and playoffs after Mitchell Robinson was injured.

Hartenstein felt respected and loved in the Knicks uniform and loved playing at Madison Square Garden.

“Playing in the Mecca (Madison Square Garden) and having big games, especially in the playoffs, was huge,” Hartenstein said. “Me and Jalen (Brunson) went in there and kind of changed it. It was big. Playing in the garden has always been special. It was a unique experience to be there.”

Hartenstein’s father is black German and his mother is white German. In 2017, he told Andscape that he was pleased with his black roots and that his father taught him African American history. Hartenstein, who has a lighter complexion, said that in his youth in Germany he handled racism and dated individuals who didn’t know he was a black man and who made racist comments about black people in front of him.

He also discussed being black on the podcast , hosted by Brunson and Josh Hart, who were his Knicks teammates at the time.

“It was fun,” Hartenstein said of the podcast. “I knew they were doing it. They had been talking about it all week (before).”

He added: “(Andscape) was the first to release it to the world. It’s at all times funny when people discover about it.

The Knicks desired to keep Hartenstein and offered him a four-year contract price $72.5 million. Hartenstein, nonetheless, opted to sign a more lucrative three-year, $87 million contract to affix NBA All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rising Thunder on July 6. Hartenstein previously earned a complete of $22.6 million in his NBA profession. He will earn $30 million this season.

Looking back, Hartenstein is very pleased with what he was in a position to accomplish after a slow begin to his profession.

“It was hard to leave. It wasn’t easy. I loved being there and I loved my teammates,” Hartenstein said of New York. “If I could not go to a spot like OKC, I do not think I might have left. But you furthermore mght need to think that ultimately it would be a business. It wasn’t like I had an entire bunch of $100 million contracts before. I needed to be certain that my family was heterosexual.

“It was a crazy experience, starting with the minimum contract and the training camp take care of the Clippers. It’s quite a journey from here to there. Often you do not understand what you are going through. But now, looking back, I would not change a thing on or off the court.

Hartenstein’s difficult days in the NBA returned when on October 15 in a preseason game against Denver, the Thunder announced that he had suffered a minor, non-displaced fracture of his left hand. The excellent news was that the injury didn’t require surgery, but Hartenstein’s Thunder debut was delayed.

After learning of Hartenstein’s love of reading, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault gave him a book by Ryan Holiday. The #1 bestseller is inspired by stoicism, the ancient Greek philosophy of tolerating pain and overcoming adversity through perseverance and resilience.

“He talks about his time in Denver where he really worked on his mental game,” Daigneault told Andscape. “I really useful this book because he was hurt. But that is sort of right in his wheelhouse. He’s a really intelligent guy.”

“Mark gave me a book that really helped me through the (injury) process. Just read it and overcome every obstacle without wasting any time,” Hartenstein said.

Hartenstein received a hero’s welcome from Thunder fans when he debuted on November 20 with 13 points and 14 rebounds in a 109–99 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. His profession averages are points (13.3) and rebounds (12.3). , assists (4.2) and blocks (1.5) in six contests for the Thunder, who at 16-5 have the best record in the Western Conference entering Wednesday.

“He’s obviously big, and last season we had a smaller, better rebounding team,” Daigneault said. “It’s like explaining to AB (about signing him). But that does not do justice to how good a player he is. It’s not only a giant body that may bounce back. He’s a fantastic basketball player.

“He’s great at the most important things on the basketball floor. It is a complete bonding specialist that highlights both sides of the floor due to its dynamics.”

Hartenstein believes NBA players who’re struggling early in their careers can find inspiration in his story.

“Just follow the processes,” Hartenstein said. “Sometimes it takes time. We all enter the NBA and wish to play instantly. Mentally you have got to be strong and never have a negative attitude. Quite a lot of guys don’t play at first and they don’t seem to be good guys in the locker room. They don’t support their teammates when you aren’t getting your likelihood.

“You need to stay until you get your likelihood. Do small things. Be teammate. And just be ready when your time comes.