Isaiah Hartenstein Talks Prior Relationship with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Isaiah Hartenstein who has a past history with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Isaiah Hartenstein / Rylan Stiles

The Oklahoma City Thunder grabbed Isaiah Hartenstein off the Free Agent Market, landing their largest signing in team history. Top Executive Sam Presti even went to Oregon to meet with Hartenstein as soon as free agency opened in an attempt to lure him away from the New York Knicks who were trying feverishly to get under the hard cap.

A Three-Year $87 Million dollar pact later and Hartenstein was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder and making the franchise one of the league's title favorites - putting a gold star stamp on an aced offseason by Presti and company giving this young core two of the best role players the league has to offer in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.

However, many thought the Thunder had another recruiter: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who observers caught was following the free agent on Instagram. At his introductory press conference on Saturday, Hartenstein cleared up the connection and revealed Gilgeous-Alexander was the first to reach out to the seven-footer.

"Shai. I played with Shai at the Hoops Summit, so I kind of know him from before. I think people were talking about that I followed Shai, but I followed Shai in like 2016. But no, he just reached out to say he's really excited, really excited to have me, and he doesn't have to box me out anymore, so that's what he's excited about. So yeah," Hartenstein chuckled at the idea of his Instagram being closely monitored.

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