The Detroit Pistons didn’t get the first center in the 2020 NBA Draft, nor the second, but they may have gotten the best one when they drafted Isaiah Stewart.
James Wiseman was the first center to be taken by the Warriors with the 2nd pick, a decision they might want to have back after seeing the way LaMelo Ball and some of the other rookies have played.
The Pistons were widely mocked for taking Stewart, who as viewed as a hustling role player whose ceiling wasn’t much more than a backup bench defender.
But after this season we are going to have to re-adjust our expectations for what Isaiah Stewart can be, as he has flashed skills no one thought he would have, especially not in his first season.
Isaiah Stewart now looks like a better prospect than James Wiseman, yet another reason that Troy Weaver needs to be commended after a lights out first season as GM.
Here are three reasons that Beef Stew is going to be better than James Wiseman.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart is durable
Up until last night, Isaiah Stewart had not missed a game since joining the rotation early in the season.
He was out last night for “personal reasons” so even this missed game was not due to injury.
Stewart has played in 68 games this season, averaging 21.4 minutes and looks ready to take on way more.
Wiseman on the other hand, suffered a knee injury in April and had to miss the rest of the season after only playing 38 games.
Injuries happen in sports and sometimes they are just bad luck and not a sign that a player won’t be durable in their career, but the Warriors have to be somewhat concerned that their prize rookie has already had a knee surgery at 19-years-old.
Stewart, who is built like a barrel full of snakes, made it through his rookie season unscathed even though he plays a much more physical style of basketball, which is a good sign for Pistons’ fans.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart is the best rookie defender
Coming into last year’s draft, Wiseman was thought to be one of the top shot blockers in his rookie class.
He had a fairly good season in that regard, averaging just under a block per game in 21.4 minutes.
Stewart, on the other hand, led all rookies in total blocked shots and blocks per game with 1.3 and looks like a guy who might lead the league in blocks someday.
But it’s not just blocked shots that set Stewart apart defensively.
Stewart is already one of the best in the NBA at switching on the perimeter, a skill that is paramount for modern centers who are often asked to defend much smaller and quicker players.
Stewart can guard everyone from the point guard to the center and his switch-ability on the perimeter gives the Detroit Pistons a lot of lineup flexibility, as he can play the four or the five effectively.
Stewart’s versatility and ability to affect shots all over the floor gives him the edge over Wiseman, who is more of a traditional shot blocker.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart is a better shooter
The most surprising part of Isaiah Stewart’s successful rookie season is that he has shown the ability to step out and shoot the 3-point shot.
This is definitely not something most scouts saw coming, as Stewart was more known as a guy who would only shoot if he were wide open right under the rim.
Stewart shot 55 percent overall to Wiseman’s 51 percent and shot 33 percent from long range to Wiseman’s 31 percent on nearly the same number of attempts per game.
Wiseman did average slightly more points than Stewart this season but did it on nearly four more shot attempts per game.
Stewart was more efficient, showed better range and recently even flashed the ability to get to the rim off the bounce.
James Wiseman is going to be a very good player in the NBA, but there are a lot of factors working in Beef Stew’s favor.
Isaiah Stewart is more durable, the better all-around defender and has already flashed an offensive game that no one expected, which is why the 16th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft is going to be better than the second.