In this modern era of basketball, writer Parker Fleming believes frontcourt players fall into five separate categories when it comes to their effectiveness as playmakers. OKC Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein is considered to be the "shining example" of one in particular.
In Fleming's eyes, the roles each frontcourt playmaker falls into are: Hub (i.e., the focal point), point forward, the quasi-hub, advantage extenders, and the Draymond (i.e., jack of all trades).
Hartenstein is considered a prime example among current candidates for the quasi-hub distinction due, largely, to his "short-roll playmaking and space creation via screening."
Now, this latter recognition of his screening should already be universally recognized as perhaps his most dominant on-court skill set, as he ranked eighth in screen assists per game (3.2) among those who logged 45 or more contests and placed in the 84.0 percentile as a roll-man in P&R sets.
However, the former, regarding his quick decision-making off the catch, may not be as well known.
Yet, in many ways, it's the skill that separates him from the other old-school 7-footers in the association.
Isaiah Hartenstein's passing skills are a game-changer for Thunder
Despite being on a team flush with guards and highly versatile wings, Hartenstein is undeniably one of the best passing weapons the Thunder have on the roster.
Of course, don't just take our word for it.
Fleming included a quote from coach Mark Daigneault in his recent Substack post, calling I-Hart "a great passer," and said that his ability to serve as an initiator and to be used as an "outlet" while teammates draw double-teams is "incredibly valuable."
His high-end, dime-dropping skills have been evident both in the eye test, where he regularly finds teammates both in highlight-reel and trademark backdoor fashion, and the stat sheet, as he's averaged 6.6 and 7.1 assists per 100 possessions in his first two seasons with the Thunder, respectively.
It's no wonder Hartenstein has such an impressive touch in the distribution department. From growing up with his dad instilling in him the importance of facilitation to learning from the likes of Kevin Love and Nikola Jokic during the early stages of his NBA career, it's not all that surprising that efficient passing is somewhat second nature for the 28-year-old.
With this, coupled with his rock-wall screening skills, Fleming considers Hartenstein to be a true "ceiling-enhancer" for this Thunder team.
Considering OKC has won an NBA Championship, ended each season no earlier than the conference finals, and finished in the 95 and 98 percentile, respectively, in point differential with him on the floor during his two-year tenure, it's hard to argue against such a claim.
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