Josh Hart Pokes Fun at Former Teammate, Current OKC Thunder Big Man

Oklahoma City’s big man will face off against his former team for the first time on Friday.

Mar 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) and center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) celebrate a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

For the first time since signing a massive contract with Oklahoma City this summer, Isaiah Hartenstein will square off against his former team — the New York Knicks. It’ll be a home game for the Thunder on Friday night, so Hartenstein will have the fans on his side, but it’s sure to be a game filled with emotions.

For Hartenstein, all of those emotions will likely be positive ones towards the Knicks. New York is where he broke out as a basketball player and largely the reason he got paid this summer. He spent two seasons in New York, including a career year in 2023. He played 25 minutes per game and averaged 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds. He was also crucial in the playoffs, playing nearly 30 minutes a game.

He loved the Knicks, and the Knicks loved him back — including his teammates. New York tried to find a way to keep him, but the money ran dry. Oklahoma City was one of the few teams that could give him maximum value on his new deal. Make no mistake, though, New York wanted him back.

Because both parties understood the situation at hand, there was no animosity in the breakup. Josh Hart showed the playful, joking around side of their relationship this week when asked a question about facing off against the Thunder. The question wasn’t directed at Hartenstein, but Hart found a funny way to loop him into the answer.

“This will be a good test,” Hart told reporters. “The big man (Isaiah Hartenstein) got paid this summer, so he should be a little slow on his feet and slow trying to protect the rim. We should be able to go at him.”

Josh Hart was asked about the Knicks' upcoming game vs. the Thunder:

"This will be a good test. The big man (Isaiah Hartenstein) got paid this summer, so he should be a little slow on his feet and slow trying to protect the rim. We should be able to go at him" 😂 pic.twitter.com/Yvk7NzIDPk

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 2, 2025

Of course, Hartenstein is having a career best season in Oklahoma City — it has been a match made in heaven. He’s averaging 12.7 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 57.6% from the floor. He’ll certainly be a big factor in Friday night’s matchup, as he is in every single game for the Thunder.

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