The message that started everything was not exactly bold. Isaiah Hartenstein sent Kourtney Kellar a DM in 2019 complimenting her smile and attaching his favourite photo of her from her feed. The photo he chose was one where she was wearing a turtleneck. She described it as really sweet. She FaceTimed him a few times, satisfied herself he was not a serial killer, and agreed to meet at a restaurant.
He was playing for the Houston Rockets at the time. She was living in Dallas a few hours away. What followed was a six-year journey from Instagram message to marriage to motherhood, and Kellar had been building her own career long before any of it began.
The Career She Built Before the NBA Came Calling
Kourtney Kellar was born on March 8, 1991, in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in a military family. She attended Henderson State University in Arkansas, graduating in 2014 with a degree in athletic training. The modeling started as a practical decision. She told the New York Post she was a broke college kid who needed money and began doing commercial work for brands like Dillard’s and Walmart while still in school.
After graduating she went full time. In 2017 she won the Miss Texas International title, which opened doors to more visible work. She walked at Miami Swim Week and New York Fashion Week, graced the cover of Malvie Magazine, and became a model for Supercross with Rockstar Energy following the pageant win. She has been represented by Wilhelmina Models, Lipps LA, Select Miami, The Rebellion and The Sculp Agency at various points in her career.
She has also worked as a ring girl at major boxing events, most visibly at the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano card. Her Instagram following sits above 650,000. Before Hartenstein, she was engaged to country music singer Chase Bryant from 2015 until 2018.
Marriage, Motherhood and Oklahoma City
After meeting in 2019, the couple dated for three years before Hartenstein proposed on a beach in Malibu in April 2022. They married on July 29, 2023, on a yacht in Newport Beach, California. Their son Elijah James was born on May 23, 2024.
Hartenstein signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer of 2024 after two seasons with the Knicks. The family relocated to Oklahoma City, where Hartenstein plays alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a team that has reached back-to-back NBA Finals. Kellar continues to model and manage her social media presence while raising Elijah, staying largely on her own terms throughout a very public life.
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