Oklahoma City Thunderstar Isaiah Hertenstein made an interesting decision to join the team in the offseason.
Given the difference in depth of the two meetings, challenges to Swap in East for West certainly make the challenges of NBA players difficult.
But this may be the exception when you join the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Isaiah Hertenstein left the New York Knicks in the summer of 2024 to sign OKC, as the new team surprised the regular season with 68 wins.
After beating the Grizzlies, Nuggets and Timberwolves, OKC is taking part in the NBA Finals, which is set to face the Indiana Pacers.
Isaiah Hertenstein is now living his dream and will be making his first appearance in the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.
But the big man accepts that there were some low moments along the way in his career.
Hartenstein talks to the media ahead of the final about the biggest challenges he faced, saying that the mental aspect of the game is the most difficult.
“I think it’s the mental part of it. I think it’s the mental part. I think everyone will come to the league before ‘you were a guy.’
“I think the biggest thing for me was being accountable why I didn’t play.
Hartenstein said he studied tapes as well as his own. He says he saw Stard Raymond Green from the Golden State Warriors and found inspiration.
“I really sat there and watched a lot of movies, I saw a lot of Draymonds.
“He helped me defensively, because that was one of the reasons I didn’t play.”
Isaiah Hertenstein plays for the sixth different NBA team. He was drafted in 2017 by the Houston Rockets.
He later played for the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Raclippers, the Knicks and before the Lightning.
Earlier this season, NBA legend Vince Carter even said that the Knicks may regret letting Hartenstein leave.
Hartenstein did so spectacularly as he had to prove himself in the G League.
He led the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to win the G League Championship in 2019 and was named MVP.
He is currently scheduled to play in the NBA Finals. It’s a pretty journey, and Hartenstein wants to pay it forward and inspire others.
He told reporters:
“A lot of different people who might be in the G League may be fighting for a few minutes, but I think you can do the right thing if you watch my journey, build it up and you’re just doing the job.”