Isaiah Hartenstein’s journey from a European basketball sensation to a dependable NBA starter is nothing short of impressive. Originally honing his skills in Germany and Lithuania, he achieved championship glory with the latter in 2017. Riding high on this victory, Hartenstein transitioned to the NBA, being drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2017, where he made his debut the following season.
His NBA career has seen him wear several jerseys. In 2020, he joined the Denver Nuggets, only to be traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021. His journey continued as he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by a stint with the New York Knicks. Most recently, he secured a lucrative three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Amidst the frequent team changes and relocations, one constant presence in Hartenstein’s life has been his wife, Kourtney Kellar. Here’s a closer look at their relationship.
How Hartenstein and Kellar met
The couple’s story began in 2019 when Hartenstein reached out to Kellar on Instagram, making the first move in her direct messages.
Kellar reminisced about the moment to the New York Post, saying, “My Instagram often attracts comments about my appearance, which is flattering. But Isaiah stood out by commenting on my smile, saying, ‘You have the most beautiful smile.’ He even shared his favorite photo of me, where I was simply wearing a turtleneck. It was a genuinely sweet gesture.”
“My Instagram is pretty sexy, so I get a lot of comments about my body, which is nice. But he came in and messaged me something like, ‘You have the most beautiful smile,’” she recalled to the New York Post. “[He] sent me his favorite photo of me from my feed. I was wearing a turtleneck in that picture. It was really sweet of him.”
At the time, Hartenstein still played for the Rockets and was living in the Houston area, while Kellar was living a few hours away in Dallas. They FaceTimed for weeks and eventually met up in person.
Kellar is a model and went viral after working with Jake Paul
Kellar was born on March 8, 1991, in Texas. She grew up in a military family and studied athletic training at Henderson State University. While in school, she began modeling to help pay for tuition.
“I was a broke college kid and needed money, so I started modeling in Arkansas for brands like Dillard’s and Walmart,” she told the Post.
Kellar earned her degree in 2014, but decided she wanted to model full-time. After winning Miss Texas International in 2017, she expanded into fashion and promotional work, eventually becoming widely recognized as a model and social media influencer. She is signed with the modeling agencies Lipps LA and Select Miami and has walked in shows at Miami Swim Week as well as New York Fashion Week. She also appeared on the cover of Malvie magazine.
Kellar went viral in 2021 when she was a ring girl for Jake Paul during his fight against Tyron Woodley, and viewers thought Jake’s brother, Logan Paul, was flirting with her.
When Hartenstein and Kellar got married and how many children they have
In April 2022, Hartenstein proposed to Kellar on a beach in Malibu.
The couple got married in July 2023. Their wedding took place aboard a 6,000-square-foot yacht off Newport Beach, California, with around 60 guests.
In May 2024, Hartenstein and Kellar welcomed their first child together, a son named Elijah.