Isaiah Hartenstein Is the Perfect Teacher For Aday Mara

The young Thunder big man will get acclimated just fine if he listens to Hartenstein.

May 20, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) reacts to a play during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game two of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

While the Thunder’s newest big man might not be at the top of the totem pole, the experience around him will benefit him. 

In this year’s NBA Draft, Oklahoma City selected Aday Mara with the team's first pick. Mara seems to fit the Thunder perfectly, as the team needed another big man to add to its frontcourt depth, with that being one of the only areas where OKC was lacking. 

Now, the Thunder have solidified their frontcourt even more, as they reached a deal with Isaiah Hartenstein to keep the big man in Oklahoma City through the 2028-29 season. This might come as a shock, as it had been expected that Mara would take over Hartenstein’s role in the future, and that could still be the case, just not right now. Mara can be a key player in the Thunder’s rotation down the line, and playing behind Hartenstein will help get him there. 

Mara is your traditional big man, as he focuses on scoring in the post and rebounding. This might be a little old school, as more and more big men are learning how to shoot from deep, but Mara might just be exactly what OKC needs. Hartenstein currently fills the same role for the Thunder, and he proved himself to be indispensable last season. 

Hartenstein was a big physical body in the paint for OKC and was a primary figure in the Western Conference Finals against the likes of Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. This is exactly the type of player OKC will need Mara to be, and he can learn how to do it best from Hartenstein. 

Hartenstein does a great job playing beside Chet Holmgren, OKC’s young star big man, who can stretch the floor, and the reason for this is Hartenstein’s passing ability. The big man averaged 3.5 assists last season and was a threat with the ball in his hands. Usually, big men can be a liability when they put the ball on the ground, but with Hartenstein, defenses were troubled as they didn’t know whether to defend his sky shot or be ready for a perfect pass to an open man. 

Mara has a little knack for sharing the ball, as he averaged 2.4 assists during his senior season at Michigan last year. This skill will have to continue to grow, and he can learn from Hartenstein when and where OKC’s offesne allows him to be the playmaker. 

Scoring and rebounding will come with time as Mara gets acclimated to the NBA, but truly taking over the big man role in OKC is something that only the best can teach, and if Mara had to learn from anyone, he should be thankful it's Hartenstein.