Grading 2024-25 Season for Thunder's Isaiah Hartenstein at NBA All-Star Break

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Nathaniel Holloway | Last updated Feb 20, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The NBA season has reached the unofficial halfway point with the All-Star break, which provides a perfect opportunity to grade one of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s key players this season, Isaiah Hartenstein.

Oklahoma City has dominated their way through the season thus far. They are the best defensive team in the NBA and they also post one of the league’s best offensive units.

The Thunder currently sit at the top of the Western Conference standings with a 44-10 record. They are also tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the entire NBA.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams will receive most of the credit for the Thunder’s incredible season thus far, and rightfully so, Hartenstein has also been a major factor in their success.

Of course, Oklahoma City signed Hartenstein in the offseason to a three-year, $87 million contract. That has been money well spent thus far as the 26-year-old is currently having the best season of his career.

Hartenstein’s Thunder career started off later than he had hoped as he missed the first part of the season with an injury. Since returning, the young big man has given the Thunder something that they desperately need, especially in the West, in a dominant big man.

Of course, the Thunder do have Chet Holmgren on their roster, but he missed over two months of the season with a hip injury, allowing Hartenstein to take over the starting center position. Even with Holmgren now back, Oklahoma City has elected to start both in the frontcourt.

This season, Hartenstein is averaging 11.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 56.6% from the field. He is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds and assists per game this season.

With Hartenstein giving the Thunder another dominant post scorer and defender, they look as though they are going to be the team to beat for the title this season.

Midseason grade: A-

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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