On Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated their recent NBA Finals victory over the Indiana Pacers with a parade through the city. It's been a long time coming for fans of the Thunder, who suffered through years of playoff heartbreak during the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook era but have finally seen their team break through under Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
A key factor in pushing the Thunder over the top this year were acquisitons made last offseason by Sam Presti, trading for Alex Caruso and signing Isaiah Hartenstein.
During the parade on Tuesday, Hartenstein was asked what these last 36 hours have been like since the Game 7 victory.
“It's special, man,” said Hartenstein, per the NBA on X, formerly Twitter. “To be able to experience it with your family, to be able to experience it with a community that's been great for us all season, it's felt really special… (I've gotten) no sleep at all.”
Article Continues BelowHartenstein played a huge role in the Thunder's success this season, acting as a defensive anchor alongside Chet Holmgren and also torching opposing teams with his wide array of finishes around the basket, including an impressive and-one during the first half of Game 7.
While many eyebrows were raised at the mammoth contract the Thunder gave Hartenstein in free agency last year, he proved more than worth the money throughout this season.
The Thunder will now look to take this championship and build themselves into a dynasty, and they look very equipped to do so. Almost all of the Thunder's key players are either not yet in or just now entering their primes, and Oklahoma City also has a treasure trove of draft picks and other assets over the next several years.
Still, as Thunder fans are well aware, nothing in the NBA is guaranteed, so they'll be more than happy to celebrate this championship victory.