Isaiah Hartenstein likens new Thunder teammate to Giannis Antetokounmpo

After claiming the number one seed in the Western Conference standings and winning their first playoff series in nearly a decade, this summer the OKC Thunder went out and made themselves even more menacing thanks to GM Sam Presti's wheeling and dealing ways.

From their activities during the NBA Draft that saw them come away with three total players (two of which came in the first round) to them taking full advantage of the trade market in the Alex Caruso deal, Oklahoma City proved to be one of the most active organizations this offseason.

However, out of all the moves made by this front office, arguably the most notable was their decision to sign big man Isaiah Hartenstein to a three-year, $87 million deal on day two of the free agency festivities.

Following last year's second-round postseason demise against the bigger and bulkier Dallas Mavericks, it was evident that the Thunder needed to add more size to their rotation if they truly wished to be seen as a legitimate title threat.

Because of this, the 7-foot, 249-pound Hartenstein sports the natural build to be an ideal answer to this glaring rotational weakness, while his brute force, nitty-gritty style of play that saw him post career-best averages of 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks per night in 2023-24 will only further strengthen the club's play down low.

And while fans and pundits are champing at the bit to see how the 26-year-old manages to mesh out in OKC, I-Hart seems equally as excited to partner in the frontcourt with reigning rookie phenom, Chet Holmgren, as he even likened his skill set to that of eight-time All-Star, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Isaiah Hartenstein links OKC Thunder big Chet Holmgren to Giannis

During a recent appearance on Ur.Perspectives podcast, Hartenstein discussed how antsy he is to finally share the floor with Holmgren, specifically highlighting his athleticism and "ability to roam" the floor as attributes that could make their tandem flourish.

While describing the game of the 22-year-old, the big man noted that it's "kind of how" Antetokounmpo plays on the court, suggesting that, like the two-time league MVP and 2021 NBA Finals MVP, Holmgren is capable of playing many roles within a rotation and that he's somewhat positionless.

In Hartenstein's words, he's essentially just "out there" on the floor making plays in a multitude of ways.

This should be extremely encouraging to hear for Thunder fans, as a major concern since Oklahoma City signed the former Knicks big has been how he, a traditional five, can work alongside Holmgren, also a natural center.

Over the months since his arrival, Chet has been quite vocal about his faith in the league's newest 7-foot duo meshing, saying that "it opens up more possibilities to play different styles" for both him and the team as a whole.

Now, Hartenstein has dropped his two cents into the conversation, which should only further encourage fans that the pair are confident in their ability to coexist and, in turn, improve Oklahoma City's frontcourt presence heading into what is hoped to be a prosperous 2024-25 season.