Thunder's Mark Daigneault encourages Isaiah Hartenstein's outside touch
10/03/2024 07:23 PM
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault wants to elevate his team's three-point shooting volume this upcoming season. After Daigneault encouraged Aaron Wiggins and Jalen Williams to shoot more threes in 2024-25, he's extending that approach to his new frontcourt free-agent signee Isaiah Hartenstein. The veteran center told reporters his new head coach wants to see Hartenstein shooting more threes as he adapts to his new surroundings, per Sports Illustrated's Ryan Stiles.
"I've been shooting [3-pointers] just keeping back into a rhythm." Hartenstein said with a smile, "Mark [Daigneault] has been giving me the confidence, he wants me to shoot them."
Daigneault says it's something Hartenstein had been working on before joining Thunder training camp, which is a part of guiding the fifth-year head coach won't ever discourage — a player who enters camp continuing to build on something from the offseason.
"It's something he's worked on and is confident in," Daigneault said. "When that's the case, I usually let the player take the lead."
However, Hartenstein has only attempted 87 threes across six NBA seasons. After making 14-of-30 attempts (46.7%) in his last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, he took 37 attempts from behind the arc in 2022-23, his first season with the New York Knicks. But he connected on only a measly eight threes, shooting 21.6% from deep, discouraging Isaiah from attempting only three last season.
Perhaps coach Daigneault's green light for Isaiah will lead to a shooting percentage similar to what we saw from Hartenstein with the Clippers in 2021-22.
Mark Daigneault talks about Isaiah Hartenstein's leadership
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is thrilled to implement Isaiah Hartenstein into his system. Daigneault talked about Hartenstein's vocal leadership, especially on the defensive end of the floor, which the Thunder coach experienced firsthand while coaching against the New York Knicks.
It stuck with the Thunder head coach over the years, drawing comparisons to veteran center DeAndre Jordan during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, per Oklahoman Sports’ Joel Lorenzi.
"When we played against them [and] when I call a play, he's echoing the call to the team and barking out orders at a high level," Daigneault said. "The best big [I've] seen do that before that was DeAndre Jordan used to do that really well, especially when he was on the Clippers. He was like the quarterback back there. So, all three of those guys, their verbal communication is really impactful, especially on the defensive end."
Asked Mark Daigneault about Chet's growth being vocal.
"Cason Wallace is a fierce competitor, doesn't say a word. Lu Dort is a fierce competitor, doesn't say a word. Chet, more extroverted.
"They don't need to be something that they're not."
Says all 3 centers are verbal. pic.twitter.com/qoaq9Kp9ZI
— Joel Lorenzi (@jxlorenzi) October 2, 2024
Now, Daigneault can use Hartenstein for the Thunder's advantage in 2024-25.
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