Noah Kamdem (198-C-1998) is a 26 year old 198cm center that has enjoyed a 10 year plus career. He will play his 4th season with the CATL Basketball Loewen Erfurt (ProB). He has been a real basketball traveler in Germany having played with Troster Breitengussbach, Nurnberg, Herzogenaurach, Team Ehingen, Rostock, PS Karlsruhe, Schwenningen, Coburg, Frankfurt and Elchingen. He spoke to germanhoops.com about Isaiah Hartenstein.
More than 11 years ago you battled Isaiah Hartenstein in the JBBL final. How has time flown by?
Time really has flown by for me. I experienced a lot in this time and played with many clubs. I had ups and downs, but all in all had fun even if I had injuries as well. I just kept going forward.
If someone had told you in 2014 that he would win a NBA title 11 years later what would you have thought?
I wouldn´t of thought it could happen. He was already a great player in his youth. He grew something like 8 cm after the final. When your so much taller than the rest, then you are definitely a weapon. Plus he was a lefty and saw the angles differently. He was already very athletic. His father was always by his side and was supporting him to the fullest. Getting to the NBA was possible, I thought, but winning the title is something totally different. Everything needs to be right and you need to have the right team.
What memories do you have of that final game? Breitengussbach lost 68-60.
I remember that he had an incredible game. He shot the ball really well. He made some tough step back three´s. That is just really difficult to defend. He defended really well and carried his team. He could already do it all then. He had all the tools.
When you look back at a game like that and watch a JBBL final in 2025, have their been big strides in how good youth players are today?
I honestly don´t follow the JBBL closely today. There are bigs around today that are physical, but we had big bigs in 2014 as well. If I remember correctly, we had 8-9 guys on our team that could dunk. Every guy was athletic as well. But there are many great players today and the DBB and all the clubs are doing good work in the youth development. It is definitely continuing to go in a positive difrection. But I do feel like the physicality now is a step back from when I was in the JBBL.
In the final Isaiah Hartenstein had 22 points and you had 21 points. What memories do you have of the battle down low?
We had many matchups. I remember him hitting a couple step back three pointers against me at the end. He definitely decided the game for his team with his rebounding and defense. It was tough playing against him, but I feel like I held my own against him. I used my quickness and showed I could score as well. I had shown in the semi-final that I could defend well against a smaller player like Kostja Mushidi.
How good of a player was Hartenstein already then at age 16? He keeps saying in interviews that many doubted his game, but as well as I can remember he dominated at the youth sector.
I´m not sure. He played at the Jordan Brand tournament and was known at a young age internationally. I think that back then he was tall, but not that strong yet, so he had doubters. But he always kept working hard and went his way. He gained more trust as a player. His dad was very important. He always believed in him and worked with him to achieve their goals.
You’re a big physical undersized big man. Do you feel like you could of reached the highest level had you been 10 centimeters bigger?
I still think that I can reach a high level. The last years weren´t easy for my career. I had a son and had injuries. I even played with injuries. My athleticism suffered. But I worked hard at coming back. My foot work is even better now and my shot more consistent. I also get to the rim better. I still believe like I can reach a higher level.
How have you followed Isaiah Hartenstein´s career over the last years? Have you kept tabs on him?
I have followed him a bit. He had some problems early in his career to get established, but he kept working at his game and found consistency. He has a good shot and can score inside and defends well. He showed that he is a vital player for OKC´s success.
He is only the second German after Dirk Nowitzki to win a NBA title. How big of an achievement is this for German basketball?
I think this is a huge achievement for German basketball. You obviously can´t compare this to what Nowitzki did in 2011. He carried the whole team and was a superstar. But Isaiah did a lot for the OKC success and gave good support. I think this NBA title is the next push for Germany after the World Cup win.
Where does this title rate him now with German big men? Would you classify him as Germany´s best center now?
I don´t know. I haven´t seen him play internationally. We have good bigs with Thiemann, Voigtmann and Theis. All these guys are closer to the European game then is Isaiah. But despite this, Isaiah is a top center from Germany. He now wants to play for Germany and that will make Germany even tougher to play against.
Has it surprised you that it has taken so long for him to get his breakthrough? It always felt like teams didn´t use him right.
The whole NBA is a product. If a coach liked another player more, there isn´t too much you can do about it. If a player gets a chance and performs well, then that helps. But the NBA is so unpredictable It is hard when you get traded and out of nothing have to start over again.
Would OKC have won the title only with a Hartenstein or only a Holmgren?
That is hard to say because I didn´t follow the finals so closely.
Are OKC a team that could start a dynasty in the next years?
They have to keep working hard as a team. But anything can happen in the NBA. 1-2 trades can change the dimension of a team so much.
How would you do in a 1-1 against Isaiah today? How many baskets would you make in 10 attempts?
He is many levels above me skill wise. He is so athletic and a lot longer than I. It would be very tough for me, because I´m undersized. I might get 1-2 lucky shots.
Thanks Noah for the chat.
German Hoops 