The NBA announced Isaiah Stewart as the East Defensive Player of the Month for December on Friday, marking a first in Pistons history. Stewart's rim protection and defensive versatility has fueled the Pistons' success all throughout 2025. His defense has long been underrated in the national media, and it's high time that he gets recognized for it.
Isaiah Stewart's defense is making him a household name
Stewart's defensive impact goes far beyond the traditional stat sheet, but even the counting stats are starting to highlight his ability. In December, he averaged 2.2 blocks per game - one of the top marks in the entire league. His paint protection allows other defenders to aggressively force turnovers and swarm opposing teams.
The advanced stats tell an even better story about Beef Stew's defense. He leads the league in defensive field goal percentage at the rim this season; opponents are only shooting 43% at the rim when he contests their shot. This mark has exceeded even dominant forces like Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert.
Not only does Stewart provide consistent gritty defense whenever he's on the court, he also produces incredible game-changing highlights just about every game. He's known for blocking poster dunk attempts, which often turn into easy buckets for the Pistons on the other end. He's not quite able to solve every issue for the Pistons defensively, but he sure makes it easier for his teammates.
Behind Stewart's play and defensive pressure across the roster, the Pistons have the second-best defensive rating this season. They trail only the historic Thunder defense. And the Pistons unsurprisingly lead the league in blocks per game.
Stewart's defensive production is even more impressive considering his limited minutes. He's playing just 23 minutes a game but still near the top of the league in blocks. It's tempting to imagine his defensive impact if he could play closer to 30 minutes per game.
However, Stew's defensive contributions are also blunted by his playstyle. Even in limited minutes, he racks up fouls (3.2 per game) and the coaching staff often can't keep him on the floor for extended stretches. His high-energy play also leads to quicker fatigue and wear with higher minutes, as we saw when he suffered an injury last postseason.
Regardless, it's a pleasure to watch Isaiah Stewart play defense whenever he's on the court. He's continuing a long lineage of dominant Pistons defenders going back to Ben Wallace and Dennis Rodman. Although Stewart might never get the minutes and role to win Defensive Player of the Year like those guys, his most recent award is a worthy consolation prize in the meantime.