Isaiah Stewart exceeded expectations for the Detroit Pistons last season and hopes to prove his doubters wrong again in year two.
Yesterday we looked at the best and worst-case scenarios for Saddiq Bey and today we’re onto fellow All-Rookie teammate Isaiah “Beef Stew” Stewart.
Some thought the Detroit Pistons had reached when they selected Stewart with the 16th pick last season after making a trade with the Houston Rockets.
Stewart quickly proved them wrong, leading all rookies in blocked shots, rebounds and field goal percentage on his way to making the second-team All-Rookie squad.
He ended up averaging 7.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while showing defensive versatility that made him the best defender in his rookie class.
Beef Stew won over the Pistons’ faithful with his non-stop motor and defense, which many have compared to Detroit legend Ben Wallace.
Stewart will try to build on his successful rookie season and should get every chance to do it.
Detroit Pistons: Why Isaiah Stewart is about to blow up
Isaiah Stewart played mostly in a reserve role last season, backing up starter Mason Plumlee and playing around 20 minutes per game.
He should get more minutes this season, even if he is not in the starting lineup, as the Pistons only have two centers on the roster right now and the other one is Kelly Olynyk, a guy who figures to play some time at power forward.
Stewart also spent the summer playing with the Olympic Select team, so he was going head-to-head with the best players in the world, which should help his confidence and overall skill.
But what is the best-case scenario for Isaiah Stewart next season? Can he find another level? What if he doesn’t?