SPORT BILD: Herr Hartenstein, hat man als NBA-Champion einen schöneren Sommer als sonst?
Isaiah Hartenstein (27): Ich hatte einen richtig schönen Sommer und konnte die Zeit genießen. Besonders cool war es, mit der NBA-Trophäe nach Ulm zu kommen. Ich habe in viele strahlende Kinderaugen geschaut, das war schön und bewegend. Einige Kinder haben mir gesagt, eines Tages wollen sie auch den NBA-Pokal nach Deutschland bringen. Das bestärkt mich in dem, was ich tue, und motiviert mich, weiter hart zu arbeiten. Ich bin gern ein Vorbild für die Kinder, möchte dem deutschen Basketball etwas zurückgeben.
Ungewohntes Outfit: Kennen Sie DIESE NBA-Legende noch?
Hatten Sie den NBA-Pokal rund um die Uhr im Auge, damit bloß nichts damit passiert?
Mein Klub OKC hat einen Pokal-Bodyguard mitgeschickt, der 24/7 darauf aufgepasst hat. Er hatte die Verantwortung, nicht ich (lacht).
Was vermissen Sie am meisten von Deutschland, wenn Sie in den USA sind?
Döner! Ich war jetzt acht Tage in Deutschland und habe vier-, fünfmal Döner gegessen. In den USA habe ich noch keine gute Bude gefunden, in Oklahoma nicht und vorher auch nicht in New York. Dort gibt es sonst zwar alles – aber keinen guten Döner und auch kein gutes Schnitzel.
Wie viele Tage hatten Sie im Sommer keinen Basketball in den Händen?
Vier Wochen. Diese Auszeit habe ich aber auch gebraucht. Danach habe ich in Los Angeles privat trainiert, mit meinem Vater und meinem Teamkollegen Chet Holmgren.
[–>Ihr Team ist zusammengeblieben. Sie gelten wieder als Topfavorit. Nehmen Sie diese Rolle an?
Ja. Aber unsere Stärke ist, dass wir nie zu weit zurück oder zu weit vorausschauen. Diese Mentalität hat uns auch vergangene Saison getragen. Wir fangen jetzt wieder bei null an. Das war auch das Erste, was unser Trainer Mark Daigneault beim Trainingsauftakt zu uns gesagt hat. Jetzt sind wir die Gejagten. Jeder will den amtierenden Champion schlagen. Aber wir haben sehr viel Selbstvertrauen und sind genauso hungrig wie vor einem Jahr. Wer einmal dieses schöne Gefühl hatte, Meister zu sein, möchte das wieder erleben. Außerdem haben wir viele junge Spieler, die sich wieder beweisen wollen.
Wer sind die stärksten Konkurrenten?
Viele Klubs im Westen haben sich verstärkt. Denver ist besser geworden, die LA Clippers, Dallas, Houston auch. Im Osten ist New York besser geworden.
Welcher Spielerwechsel im Sommer war für Sie der spektakulärste?
Ganz klar Kevin Durant von Phoenix nach Houston. Das war ein großer Trade. Houston war vergangene Saison schon stark, jetzt sind sie noch besser. Gerade im Westen wird es hoch hergehen. Es gibt bestimmt sechs Teams, die sich etwas ausrechnen. Das ist gut für die Liga. Vor ein paar Jahren gab es mit Golden State und Cleveland zwei Teams, die dominiert haben. Jetzt ist es viel offener.
Ihr Topstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hat einen neuen Vierjahres-Vertrag unterschrieben, der ihm pro Saison 71 Millionen Dollar einbringt. Sind solche Summen noch angemessen?
Der Markt gibt es her, die TV-Sender zahlen so viel, insofern sind sie angemessen. In der NBA bekommen die Klubbesitzer 49 Prozent der Einnahmen und die Spieler 51 Prozent. Alles ist fair geregelt.
Wann bekommen Sie Ihren Meisterring?
Beim ersten Saisonspiel nächste Woche gegen Houston. Ich freue mich riesig. Mir wird noch einmal klar werden, was ich erreicht habe. Früher im kleinen Quakenbrück habe ich von diesem Augenblick geträumt. Jetzt ist er da.
Haben Sie den EM-Sieg der deutschen Nationalmannschaft verfolgt?
Klar. Ich habe die Spiele gesehen. Großartig, was die deutsche Mannschaft geleistet hat. Ich habe sofort eine Glückwunsch-Nachricht geschickt. Als Land werden wir immer besser, die Begeisterung für Basketball wird immer größer. Das war früher für mich unvorstellbar. Als ich damals meinen Lehrern sagte, ich möchte eines Tages mit Basketball Geld verdienen, haben sie mich ausgelacht.
Ihr letztes Länderspiel liegt sieben Jahre zurück. Wann werden sie wieder für Deutschland spielen?
Bei der WM 2027 will ich spielen. Das habe ich auch Bundestrainer Álex Mumbrú gesagt, der mich vergangene Saison in Oklahoma besucht hat. Ich fühle mich körperlich fit, meine Vertragssituation in der NBA ist auch geklärt. Ich möchte jetzt so viel wie möglich für Deutschland spielen. Auch bei den Olympischen Spielen 2028 in Los Angeles. Es passt jetzt zeitlich perfekt.
Gehen die goldenen deutschen Basketball-Jahre weiter?
Es sieht gut aus. Weltmeister, Europameister, NBA-Meister, Satou Sabally stand im WNBA-Finale, die Junioren-Nationalmannschaften haben Medaillen gewonnen. Der deutsche Basketball wird immer größer.
Und ratiopharm Ulm, bei dem Sie als Anteilseigner eingestiegen sind, ist auch mit 3:1-Siegen in die BBL-Saison gestartet …
Ja, großartig. Ich schaue hier so viele Ulm-Spiele wie möglich. Unser größtes Ziel ist es, junge Spieler zu fördern. Und wenn wir dann auch noch gewinnen, ist es umso schöner.
This news was originally published on this post .
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