When it comes to a team chock full of top-flight stars like the OKC Thunder, more often than not, the lion's share of credit for their successes generally goes to the headline talents.
However, the folks at The Game Theory Podcast are actively trying to change this narrative.
During a recent episode of the show, host and senior writer for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie, highlighted big man Isaiah Hartenstein's defense against three-time MVP Nikola Jokic as a primary catalyst in Oklahoma City's 127-121 win over the Nuggets this past Friday night.
He would go on to label him as the "X-factor" in a series against Denver, and flat-out said "I believe in Hartenstein" and called him "a stud."
Co-host Bryce Simon would take things a step further in the praise-fest of I-Hart, as he would point out that "it's so important that he is healthy" come playoff time and that, in his eyes, he feels Hartenstein doesn't get talked about enough "in terms of making sure to maximize" their chances of becoming back-to-back champions.
From both the eye test, advanced metrics, and past track record, it's hard to argue against this kind of sentiment.
Isaiah Hartenstein deserves more recognition as key Thunder piece
With his elite combination of size, screening, rim-protecting, and underrated distributing skills, I-Hart quickly established himself as a true-blue difference-maker for the Thunder during his debut season in 2024-25.
Starting lineups with him in the fold went 45-8 during the regular season and 15-5 during their championship-winning postseason. In fact, in the three games he came off the pine in the playoffs, the Thunder went just 1-2 -- some could argue this shakeup could have cost them the title if it hadn't been corrected when it was.
Here in year two, the veteran has been a staple within the first-five, and, as a result, Oklahoma City has continued on with their winning ways.
Through 34 starts here in his second season with the Thunder, Hartenstein finds himself posting per-game averages of 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and just shy of a block. The team boasts a 28-6 record when he's been used as the primary pivot.
Now, though these counting stats may not stand out on their own, it's his effect on the club's on-court proficiency when active that really emphasizes just how important he is to their success.
With him in the lineup, Oklahoma City ranks within the 97 percentile in both opponent points per 100 possessions (105.1) and point differential (plus-13.9), and ranks fourth on the team in both on-court net rating (14.3) and on-court plus-minus (plus-7.5).
Yes, it's undeniable that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren are the best players the Thunder have. However, when it comes to winning and having their best chance of repeating as NBA Champions, Hartenstein is right up there in terms of importance.