How Isaiah Hartenstein's Rebound-Forward Role is Unfolding Nicely with OKC

The Oklahoma City Thunder brought Isaiah Hartenstein onto the squad following the 2023-24 campaign for a reason.

That reason? Interior presence.

Being able to work alongside a two-way producer in Chet Holmgren has done wonders, but Hartenstein is making waves in his own right—providing a consistent stream of rebound support which had previously been a weakness of this Thunder team.

It could even have been looked at as a weakness of his own as well before his last year with the New York Knicks before coming over to Oklahoma City.

As a burly, 7-foot, 250-pound center who also obtains a lot of mobility at his size, rebounding would likely be a massive function of his game. And while it certainly has been something he can provide value in throughout his career, Hartenstein is now doing it at the highest level he's ever seen.

In his eighth year in the league at 27-years old, Hartenstein has seen a clear uptick in rebound production since he's gotten brought on to Sam Presti and Mark Daigneault's squad.

As a rookie for the Houston Rockets, Hartenstein put up 1.7 boards on minimal playing time in 28 games. Fast forward to his first year with the Knicks, he'd bumped that up to 6.5 boards and starting eight games for New York—which evolved into a full-on starting role and 8.3 rebounds per game the next season.

Isaiah Hartenstein defends Anthony Davis — Oct 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) looks to move the ball past Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Now in the past season plus the opening of this season for Oklahoma City, rebounding has been a crucial focal point of his role on this team, and he's capitalized thus far.

Helping take the Thunder all the way to the promised land to eventually claim the organization's first-ever NBA title, Hartenstein's 10.7 rebounds per game across 53 starts in 57 games was imperative.

That's been continued early into the 2025-26 season.

Now five games into the year, Hartenstein is putting up serious numbers on the interior—14 rebounds, 10 rebounds, 12 rebounds, 14 rebounds... four out of the first five contests, Hartenstein is clearing double-digit numbers in rebounds—and it's been massive in the tight-knit games the Thunder has been in thus far.

Having Hartenstein to supplant Holmgren's production is also essential along with them being paired together. In a situation like against the Sacramento Kings where Holmgren is off due to back tightness, having 14 boards produced by Hartenstein swings the outcome of the game heavily.

As Oklahoma City progresses into the season, they're going to need Hartenstein to sustain this production, and certainly if they hope to go back to back.