In the wake of Isaiah Hartenstein's injury, the Oklahoma City Thunder are signing center/forward Alex Reese to a standard contract for the regular-season roster, agent Billy Davis told ESPN on Saturday.

Reese will be on a nonguaranteed deal as the Thunder add a big man while Hartenstein misses five to six weeks with a small, nondisplaced fracture in his left hand. Reese, 25, spent the preseason with the Thunder before being waived this week.

Reese has a fascinating journey to this NBA contract, quitting basketball in 2021 after four seasons at Alabama and serving as a bartender for a year. Reese then played in Luxembourg in 2022 before joining the Portland Trail Blazers' G League affiliate last season.