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Isaiah Hartenstein Was Like A Big Brother For Thorben Doeding As Family Was Always A Big Topic For The Hartensteins

Thorben Doeding (189-PG-1999) is a 26 year old 189cm guard that has played his whole career with the Artland Dragons. He won the 2014 JBBL (U-16) title with NBA player Isaiah Hartenstein. He has played 194 Pro A games in 7 Pro A seasons. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his ex teammate NBA champion Isaiah Hartenstein

Thanks Thorben for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life?

Hey Miles! I just moved to Münster to start my Master’s studies and will be living here with my girlfriend. Basketball-wise, I’ll probably step back from playing at the ProA Level, but I am also interested in looking into new perspectives like coaching.

Your ex teammate Isaiah Hartenstein became NBA chmapion with OKC. Did you stay up the whole night to watch history?

Yes, of course! Set my alarm for 2am, right on time for tip-off.

How proud are you of Isaiah Hartenstein. What does this success mean for the Artland Dragons?

I am very proud and happy for him and his family. The Hartensteins had a great impact on the Dragons, especially the youth! “Family” was and is a big topic for the Hartensteins and they always made the whole organization feel like a big family.

Do you still have contact with him to this day? Did you congratulate him?

First thing after the game was congratulating his dad and him. I am still in touch with the Hartenstein family. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to Isaiah’s wedding 2 years ago but I will definitely visit them soon!

What memories do you have of the 2014 JBBL final against Breitengussbach which you won 68-60?

That was a great day. We had a real good group and shared that goal from the start of the season. Being able to play in the Artland Arena in front of such a big crowd and players of the Dragons BBL team, like Brandon Thomas and then achieving what we set out to do was amazing.

What was the key to that success? The team had 2 giants with Hartenstein and Herkenhoff and great aggressive guards.

As I just mentioned, we were confident that we can win it all that year. Everybody played their role well and we had so much fun. Isaiah Hartenstein, Philipp Herkenhoff and Noah Westerhaus were very skilled bigs, Jan Mügge was a great shooter and the Potratz brothers were relentless defenders and knew how to put the ball in the basket.

Isaiah Hartenstein had a 22/14 game. How do you remember his game then?

He did it all! He was strong under the basket but also handled the ball and shot from outside. And of course, his defense presence was already big back then.

If someone had told you that he would be NBA champion 11 years later what would you have thought?

I would have thought “Yeah, he made it!” That was his dream, his goal. Already at that age he told his Dad that he wanted to win a NBA championship one day and that is what they worked for ever since.

In JBBL the guys are very young, but what kind of a relationship did you have with him? Were you close?

Isaiah was like a big brother. His family took in a few of us players who came from outside Quakenbrück, giving us the opportunity to balance school with four hours of basketball training each day. I ended up, living with the Hartensteins for three years. Spending the time with three or four other basketball-crazy teens like Isaiah and me, having fun at the dinner table and playing video games together was great!

He often says in interviews that so many doubted him in his young days. But how can that be? It seems like he dominated youth basketball and then went his way.

Honestly, I could never understand why people were doubting him. He dominated in the JBBL and NBBL and became Adidas Next Generation Tournament MVP in Kaunas 2016. He stayed down-to-earth and kept working but somehow people thought it wouldn’t be enough.

Have you followed Isaiah Hartenstein´s career in the last decade? How have you observed his development?

His path resembles a good example of how dedication, hard work and also patience will lead you to success in the end. There were some ups and downs but at the end Isaiah took his opportunity and made the best out of it.

Can you explain why he had to pay his dues so long? He switched a lot of teams but for some reason he was never used the right way.

I think he needed some time to acclimate to the NBA, to find his rhythm and figure out what works best for him in the league. Once he did that and was utilized the right way, like he was in New York, he was able to show teams that he can be a real asset, just as he is now in OKC.

Now he made his break through with OKC. Do you feel like he is still on his way of becoming an even better player?

Isaiah is constantly working, learning and improving. He averaged his first double double in the last regular season. He will continue to grow and make an even bigger impact.

He played in the Artland Dragons organization but now seems to support ratiopharm Ulm. Does he still have some kind of ties to Artland?

I think history and memories tie him and his family to Quakenbrück but there is no contact to the Dragons at the moment.

Thanks Thorben for the chat.

Noah Westerhaus Will Never Forget Youth Teammate Isaiah Hartenstein Being Taller One Week And Himself Being Taller The Next Week

Noah Westerhaus (200-PF-1998) is a 27 year old 200cm forward that has played the last 3 seasons with the ETB Miners Essen. He began his basketball career with the Artland Dragons and was a teammate with 2025 NBA champion Isaiah Hartenstein. Noah also has sampled experience playing with BSG Bremerhaven, Wolfenbuettel, Neustadt, Langenhagen, Koblenz and Limburg. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his memories being Isaiah Hartenstein´s teammate.

Thanks Noah for talking to germanhoops.com. Where are you at the moment and how is basketball life?

I´m living in Essen playing Pro B.

You completed your third season with Essen. Has Essen become like a second home to you and will you remain?

Definitely. I met a lot of people here and want to stay for a while.

Your ex teammate Isaiah Hartenstein became NBA champion with OKC. Did you stay up the whole night to watch history?

Yes I watched a couple of game during the season and of course the last one.

How proud are you of Isaiah Hartenstein. What does this success mean for the Artland Dragons?

It does shows how good their youth teams were and are. Every one of his clubs is probably proud of him as am I. He really deserves it.

Do you still have contact with him to this day? Did you congratulate him?

Unfortunately no, but yes I texted him.

What memories do you have of the 2014 JBBL final against Breitengussbach which you won 68-60?

It was an unbelievable experience in front of our home crowd. Winning the chip is front of family and friends is something special.

What was the key to that success? The team had 2 giants with Hartenstein and Herkenhoff and great aggressive guards.

The key was the whole team and our defense. We had 2 good coaches, great defenders and big guy sunder the basket and Isaiah who did everything.

Isaiah Hartenstein had a 22/14 game. How do you remember his game then?

We was our biggest weapon and nobody was able to stop him.

How do you remember practices in 2014? He was already a giant. How tall were you then and did you battle in the paint in practice?

At that time we were both growing so quickly. One week he was taller and the next week I was taller. Practices were always very competitive and if they weren´t competitive enough, then his dad Flo joined and it became competitive.

If someone had told you that he would be NBA champion 11 years later what would you have thought?

I would of called him crazy, but not because he wasn´t talented enough, but because it´s such a long way from where he started. But he made it. That’s unbelievable.

In JBBL the guys are very young, but what kind of a relationship did you have with him? Were you close?

Yes we were more than teammates. 3 of us were living with his family including me.

He often says in interviews that so many doubted him in his young days. But how can that be? It seems like he dominated youth basketball and then went his way.

Yes he did and he proved everyone wrong and that is something that he deserves because of all of his hard work.

Have you followed Isaiah Hartenstein´s career in the last decade? How have you observed his development? Can you explain why he had to pay his dues so long?

Yes I have. I watched his highlights and he always got better.

He switched a lot of teams but for some reason he was never used the right way. Now he made his break through with OKC. Do you feel like he is still on his way of becoming an even better player?

Sometimes it has to do with how a coach wants to use him. I feel like he fits into the OKC team well.

He made the next step with OKC. Do you feel like he can get even better?

I think that he will take another step and get better and more consistent.

He played in the Artland Dragons organization but now seems to support ratiopharm Ulm. Does he still have some kind of ties to Artland?

I have no idea.

If you played 1-1 in 2025, how many baskets could you make in 10 tries?

I´ll give myself a solid 1. There will be a lucky one going in.

Thanks Noah for the chat.