After a long day of dropping 100 points, lifting trophies, and (kind of) popping champagne, nothing beats a good night’s sleep. A lesson brought to us by Elijah Hartenstein, 13 months, stealer of spotlights. Newly crowned NBA champion, Isaiah Hartenstein’s first speech after 7 points and 9 rebounds was overshadowed by his son. Little Elijah was immune to the roaring Oklahoma City crowd and slept soundly in Daddy’s arms. Thunder won the title, but Elijah won the internet.

Fans loved speculating if seeing his dad and uncles win is all too common for Elijah, or if naptime simply takes precedence. Enter Kourtney Kellar, Isaiah Hartenstein’s wife, and a natural scene stealer. She helped her son’s new fan club understand what helped her baby sleep so well that night,

“Arena with 18,000 cheering fans > white noise machine at home 🤔” the young mom wrote in her Instagram Stories. Not all of us are Elijah, but we all find it easy sleeping, knowing we have a really awesome dad. Not only did the 18,000-strong joyous crowd in the Paycom Center on Sunday night validate that, but the whole of Oklahoma too.

For Kellar, this would also mark another unforgettable day since she married Hartenstein in 2023. The couple welcomed their first child in May 2024, right before the German-born center signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder. A year later, they’re the much-loved championship family in OKC while their son is the new Internet darling.

Elijah was a little more awake to take a few family snaps with the newest member of the fam – the Larry O’Brien trophy. The model shared the toddler’s post-nap highlights with a cheeky notice, “A little past Elijah’s bedtime.”

We all strive to be at the level of unbothered Mr Elijah Hartenstein has achieved. But we’re too excited about the new NBA champs for that.

A wholesome moment for Isaiah Hartenstein’s family

The Oklahoma City Thunder won the franchise’s first-ever NBA title after beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91. It was a close game in a close series, which went down to the final quarter. The result was Thunder lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy in their home while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took every award on offer, the regular season MVP, scoring title, and Finals MVP, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to do so.

For Isaiah Hartenstein, who was traded from the Knicks to the Thunder in a move no one predicted, winning this chip silences doubters. He’s also the second German, after Dirk Nowitzki in 2011, to win an NBA title. And when it came for OKC’s center to say a few words, Isaiah Hartenstein carried his one-year-old on the stage. But Elijah slept on his dad’s chest with very little concern for the crowd.

At one point, Hartenstein even hyped the crowd to get louder and wake Elijah up. Yet it didn’t work. Somewhat stunned, Isaiah even said, “I guess it’s not loud enough…” We assume that Elijah is a breeze to put to bed.

And it did seem that Elijah’s Thunder Uncles didn’t want to disturb him because they made sure he was cozy on the 7-foot giant’s front. If it isn’t obvious already, Elijah is adored by the Thunder family. And now, even the whole of OKC and NBA fans are in love with this little nugget.