The Detroit Pistons have two of the best ten rookies in the league in Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart and people are taking notice.
Saddiq Bey has been a fixture on the Kia Rookie Ladder since early in the season and has been joined by teammate Isaiah Stewart in the most recent edition.
The Rookie Ladder is ESPN’s weekly analysis of the rookie class and how they are performing. Saddiq Bey has been hovering around number five for most of the season and now Isaiah Stewart is in the mix.
Saddiq Bey moved back up to 5th position after a huge week that saw him average 17 points, 7.3 rebounds and two assists, even making some history from the 3-point line along the way.
Isaiah Stewart’s week was almost as good, and ESPN took note.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart makes his debut on the Rookie Ladder
Stewart made his debut at number 10 on the Rookie Ladder and I wouldn’t be surprised if he climbs even higher.
He averaged 11 points, 6.3 rebounds an assist and over a block per game for the week. Stewart is now leading all rookies in both rebounds and blocks.
He has also added a 3-point shot to his arsenal, which now has him drawing comparisons to other versatile bigs like Bam Adebayo.
Stewart is doing all of this while playing less than 20 minutes per game, so he is not only putting up numbers but doing it efficiently.
If he keeps this up, I could see him leapfrogging at least 3-4 of the guys in front of him, and he should end up in the top-ten for Rookie of the Year voting, which would give the Detroit Pistons two guys in the top-ten who were picked outside of the lottery.
Troy Weaver is building something in Detroit and it started with these two rookies, who are outperforming their draft status and look like two future stars.