NBA professional Isaiah Hartenstein is committed to his NBA career in the future and only wants to play for the German national team if there is no conflict. “The NBA will always be number one for me,” said Hartenstein after the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 101:93 win against the Los Angeles Lakers, in which he played a major role with 18 rebounds and 11 points.
But he could also imagine playing in the DBB selection. “If I feel healthy, if I talk to everyone and everything works well for me, I will definitely play,” said the 26-year-old center, who developed into a top player in the NBA last season. There has been no contact with national coach Álex Mumbrú yet.
Strong start to the season
Hartenstein has been playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder since this season, where he has signed a three-year contract worth $87.5 million. In the first four games after his hand fracture healed, Hartenstein showed with an average of 14.3 points and 14 rebounds per game that he can also play a key role in the strong team around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Staying healthy is therefore high on his priority list. “First you have to see that my body feels good. In the last few years I think I’ve been the only one to go far in the playoffs. “That’s a little different,” said Hartenstein, referring to the other German national players in the NBA. “But I will definitely try to play in one of the years.”
