Detroit Pistons: Grading every rookie after their debut season
Detroit Pistons rookie grades: Isaiah Stewart
. Center. Detroit Pistons. ISAIAH STEWART. A
Isaiah Stewart’s season was far better than anyone expected. Most fans thought he was going to merely be a defense/hustle guy, a career role player who Troy Weaver might have drafted too soon.
But after his rookie season there are about 10 other teams that wish they had drafted him sooner, as Stewart led all rookies in rebounds, blocked shots, field goal percentage and flashed an evolving offensive game that no one though he’d have at this point in his career.
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He also earned one of the strongest nicknames in the NBA, which is pretty impressive for a rookie drafted outside of the lottery.
Beef Stew not only blocked shots and defended larger centers, but he showed the ability to switch on the perimeter and stay in front of point guards, which might be the single more important skill for a defensive center in the modern NBA.
Stewart was a mainstay on the Rookie Ladder, should make the All-Rookie team and now looks like a foundational piece of the Pistons’ rebuild.
As far as rookie seasons go, you couldn’t ask for much more from a guy who was taken with the 16th pick.