Though the OKC Thunder may have one of the most enviable collections of star power in the game today with the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren leading the charge, throughout the 2024-25 campaign, this team has proven to be far more than just a three-man show.
Quite the opposite, in fact, as Oklahoma City has one of the deepest rotations in the league and is regularly seen going 10-12 men deep.
Considering they sport the best record in the NBA at 68-14 and are spearheaded by the MVP frontrunner in SGA, it should come as no surprise that this ball club is viewed as the odds-on favorite to win this year's NBA Finals.
However, to Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem, these are not the main factors that lead him to believe the Thunder can run the high-pressure postseason gamut.
Instead, during a recent episode of Time Out with Dwyane Wade, the former big man explained that, in his eyes, "the others" outside of the squad's core trio are what he loves most, and specifically highlighted Isaiah Hartenstein as "the key" to unlocking their full potential.
Udonis Haslem tabs Isaiah Hartenstein as 'key' to Thunder success
"That's what they lacked last year -- toughness. They went and got a tough motherf*cker who, when you look at the stat sheet, he's going to have a double-double and you ain't run no plays for him. He goes [and] blocks shots. They can go big with both him and Chet [Holmgren] or they can go small, leave Chet in and leave [Hartenstein] on the bench," Haslem said.
While they may have finished in the exact same spot in the Western Conference standings as they did last year, this current iteration of the Thunder is considered to be far superior to the one rolled out in 2023-24.
And while there are several individuals to thank for this, to Haslem, it is I-Hart's contributions that stand out most.
With every passing game, the big man only further proves himself worthy of every penny spent on his three-year, $87 million deal last offseason.
Putting forth a career-best season during his debut campaign out in the Sooner State, Hartenstein went on to post impressive all-around averages of 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 58.1 percent from distance.
On top of this, with him on the floor, this OKC team allowed just 106.8 points to opposing teams per 100 possessions while the Thunder have seen an elite point differential of +12.1, both registering in the 96 and 95 percentiles, respectively.
However, though it's easy to see Haslem's point on how the 7-foot, 249-pound center has benefited the club with his size and physicality, perhaps equally as useful has been his facilitation skills, as he ranks fourth on the team in assists per 100 possessions with 6.5 and second in passes made per game with 44.3.
Through this point during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, it seems that his positive, all-around impact has flowed right on through, as he ranks third on the Thunder in offensive rating (126.7), net rating (43.8), assists per game (4.0), and plus-minus (+23.0) while the team currently stands with a 2-0 first-round series edge.
While the lion's share of attention in Oklahoma City is drawn toward their star names, to Udonis Haslem, it is the contributions provided by role players like Isaiah Hartenstein that truly set them apart from the rest of the league.
Considering he's a three-time NBA Champion and has seen seven Finals apperances, such a sentiment should be taken in with high regard.