ISAIAH STEWART HAD seen enough.<\/p>\n
From nearly 100 feet away and with his knees and ankles wrapped in ice, Stewart had watched from the visiting bench as Detroit Pistons<\/a> teammate Jalen Duren<\/a> and Charlotte Hornets<\/a> big man Moussa Diabate<\/a> went nose-to-nose following a hard foul under the basket.<\/p>\n After a scrum developed, players and coaches from both teams seemed to ease tensions — only for Hornets forward Miles Bridges<\/a> to break away and rush toward Duren near half court. That\u2019s when Beef Stew intervened.<\/p>\n \u201cJD and Stew consider themselves brothers,\u201d Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said that night. \u201cHuman instinct tells him to protect his little brother. I hate it for Stew because of the things that are gonna follow.\u201d<\/p>\n The scene from that Feb. 9 game inside Charlotte\u2019s Spectrum Center — the ice melting off Stewart\u2019s frame as he raced toward the scorer\u2019s table to confront Bridges — has become another indelible image for Detroit\u2019s 24-year-old enforcer, rim protector and the heart and soul of a surprise No. 1 seed that perhaps shouldn\u2019t be considered one any longer.<\/p>\n \u201cI always knew once the wins came,\u201d Stewart told ESPN, \u201cthat people were gonna see I play a big part in it.\u201d<\/p>\n Intimidation, blocked dunks and, yes, even altercations such as the one in Charlotte that resulted in a seven-game suspension — he\u2019ll serve his sixth game Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> — are all part of the Isaiah Stewart<\/a> package.<\/p>\n But since he entered the league in 2020, the 6-foot-8 big man has become one of the NBA\u2019s most-feared defenders and, as the longest-tenured Piston, a symbol of the franchise\u2019s painful road back to contention. And whose game bears resemblance to a Pistons legend who once patrolled the paint in similar fashion.<\/p>\n THE PICTURES ADORN the walls inside Detroit\u2019s Little Caesars Arena and the nearby Pistons Performance Center, not far from downtown.<\/p>\n And whether it\u2019s holding one of his Defensive Player of the Year awards or cradling the Larry O\u2019Brien trophy he helped the franchise capture in 2004, Ben Wallace\u2019s image has become part of Detroit lore.<\/p>\n The Hall of Famer\u2019s 17-year career can be aptly defined by his nine seasons in Detroit, where he dominated as one of the top defenders in the early 2000s. His four-time DPOY status can only be matched by fellow Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo and Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> center Rudy Gobert<\/a>.<\/p>\n The comparisons between Wallace and Stewart are natural, irresistible even. \u201cI definitely see it,\u201d Wallace told ESPN.<\/p>\n Both are underestimated, undersized big men who played well above their listed height. Both carry a clear edge in every aspect of their games. And both happen to play large roles in turnarounds for a city uniquely equipped to appreciate them.<\/p>\n \u201cHe paved the way for us undersized guys,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cI\u2019m trying to live up to that and put my name somewhere positive in this organization.\u201d<\/p>\n From 2000-01 to 2005-06, Wallace led the NBA in rebounding twice and blocks once, averaging 12.9 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.6 steals. He would routinely compare his hands to those of a boxer, saying they\u2019re \u201ctop 10 in the world.\u201d Even now, he can boast his plus-minus stats.<\/p>\n Stewart knows his defensive stats and tracks how well other players around the league are doing in similar categories. Not necessarily for his ego, but to ensure he\u2019s doing everything to keep the Pistons\u2019 identity as the league\u2019s No. 2 unit intact. \u201cI\u2019m the best defensive player in the league,\u201d Stewart said.<\/p>\n The numbers seem to back him. Among players with at least 150 attempts defended, Stewart leads the league with a 42.7% field goal percentage allowed at the rim. He\u2019s eighth in the league with 1.7 blocks and contests 9.3 shots per game, second in the league among players 6-10 or shorter, behind Anthony Davis<\/a>, whose played only 20 games.<\/p>\n And although you wouldn\u2019t call Stewart a floor spacer, he is one of six players with at least 75 blocks and 30 3-pointers this season. He shoots a respectable 34% from 3-point range, a must in today\u2019s league, but it\u2019s a far different paradigm than Wallace, who seldom ventured beyond the arc when he played.<\/p>\n Today, Wallace tries to stay away from the game, although he keeps a close watch. He doesn\u2019t like the basketball discourse where previous generations routinely criticize modern stars. \u201cYou gotta take some time away from the game and allow the game to evolve,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But Wallace loves to watch Stewart carrying on the gritty big man tradition in Detroit. And Stewart, for his part, cherishes the example Wallace set in the early 2000s.<\/p>\n The big men\u2019s bond is unspoken but telling. Stewart, coming to the free throw line in the second quarter of a Jan. 15 game against the Phoenix Suns<\/a>, spotted the 6-9 Wallace sitting courtside. The two made eye contact, and between deep breaths, Stewart pounded his chest twice. Wallace nodded in receipt.<\/p>\n Seeing the respectful exchange, a source who knows Wallace well summed it up:<\/p>\n \u201cBen looks at Stewart like a proud father.\u201d<\/p>\n YEARS OF FUTILITY chasing the eighth seed gave way to a full rebuild in the summer of 2020, with Detroit\u2019s then-general manager Troy Weaver selecting three first-round picks in a draft he hoped would establish a real culture. Second of those picks: Stewart at No. 16.<\/p>\n The beginnings were humble, and Stewart had to endure the brunt of a rebuild six years in the making. As a rookie, Stewart was slotted behind veterans Blake Griffin<\/a> and Jerami Grant<\/a>, and as the fourth-youngest rookie in the league, opportunities were few and far between. Stewart didn\u2019t see the court during Detroit\u2019s first two games. Wallace was a throw-in from the Grant Hill trade in 2000 after showing signs in four seasons with the Washington Wizards<\/a> and Orlando Magic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Before any real estate could be won on the floor for either, it had to be established in physical, fierce practices.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t treat you like my teammate in practice. I treated you and looked at you like you were competition,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cIf you wanna duke it up, we can duke it up.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was nasty. Pushing guys, making guys uncomfortable, doing anything I can so I can stand out to the coaching staff so they could say, \u2018Man, we need to get this guy on the floor.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Stewart and Griffin were especially competitive, with then-coach Dwane Casey calling them \u201cbrahman bulls.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI remember one day they locked up and I\u2019m going, \u2018Lord have mercy, who\u2019s gonna break these two up?\u2019 Going against a great player like that every day really helped develop his game, how to be physical,\u201d said Casey, Stewart\u2019s coach his first three seasons who is now in the Pistons\u2019 front office.<\/p>\n \u201cHe earned every minute he got.\u201d<\/p>\n It extended to the floor, where a reputation formed. By early that next season, it was solidified, when, after taking an inadvertent elbow to the face from Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> forward LeBron James<\/a>, an enraged and bloody Stewart went after the face of the NBA. After multiple attempts, security, teammates and coaches eventually got Stewart into the locker room.<\/p>\n \u201cAny grown man would\u2019ve reacted, initially, the way Stew did,\u201d Casey said. \u201cThe problem Stew had — and he knows this — was going back the second and third time.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of the conversations that followed were coded in language. Almost all of them felt uncomfortable. James claimed days later that it was an inadvertent hit, plus he had years of equity with the public. Stewart, then 21, had to hear the noise.<\/p>\n \u201cMy second year in the league, seeing how people look at me differently, calling me certain [names] and labeling me. … That was a lot to get through at a young age,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cBut I was able to weather that storm. A lot of people thought I\u2019d be out of the league.\u201d<\/p>\n Stewart was suspended two games for the incident with James, and in February 2024 he was suspended three games for punching center Drew Eubanks<\/a> in the parking lot of Phoenix\u2019s Footprint Center ahead of a Pistons-Suns game. Stewart was arrested, and misdemeanor assault charges were dropped days later. (Last season, he received a two-game ban for his role in a skirmish between the Pistons and Timberwolves. In all, Stewart has been suspended five times.)<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say there\u2019s any regrets because I learned from every situation,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cIt helped shape me. You can\u2019t be scared to go through those hard times. It may not be the [best] press.\u201d<\/p>\n On the court, his game grew as the team made marginal progress in the wake of a league-record 28-game losing streak to begin the 2023-24 season. He found silver linings in the analytics that pegged him as one of the best defensive bigs in the league.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m up there with the other guys on winning teams. But I know if we don\u2019t get the win, I don\u2019t get the love, Stewart said. \u201cI remember how we were treated when we were down, what our peers said about us. It\u2019s a different kind of pride 1772205427. The tables turn every time I take the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n WALLACE\u2019S FINAL GAME was eight years before Stewart was drafted. But while the two big men come from different eras of the NBA, Wallace\u2019s simple advice for the now six-season veteran transcends generations: \u201cBe yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSince nobody around the organization or within the organization is putting that pressure on him to go out and be the next Ben Wallace, now he can go out and just relax and play basketball,\u201d Wallace said. \u201c[But] you can see the signs of why people might say that he could be the next Ben Wallace.\u201d<\/p>\n One major sign: Stewart\u2019s knack for meeting opponents at the rim.<\/p>\n Where players see an open lane with one body standing between himself and a highlight, Stewart sees an opportunity. For momentum. For a soul-crushing block that sparks a fast break. For a play that sends the home crowd into delirium and the road crowd into disbelief.<\/p>\n Stewart, the NBA\u2019s Defensive Player of the Month in December, has built a greatest hits compilation of blocks. He chased down Milwaukee Bucks<\/a> guard Kevin Porter Jr.<\/a> on a fast break on Dec. 6. He took pleasure in swatting Dallas Mavericks<\/a> rookie Cooper Flagg<\/a>\u2019s floater in the final minute during a two-point overtime loss in Dallas on Dec. 18. He added Kawhi Leonard<\/a> to the graveyard of those who\u2019ve tried to flush on him, the only thing that didn\u2019t go well during Leonard\u2019s 55-point outburst on Dec. 28.<\/p>\n His favorite, though, came on Dec. 5, when he caught Portland Trail Blazers<\/a> high-flyer Shaedon Sharpe<\/a> in midair on a play that was initially called a foul but overturned by review.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe in my timing and putting myself in the right position,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on in my head is slowing everything down. You gotta be able to take one, two [steps] then get ready to blast off.\u201d<\/p>\n Those blocks often turn into momentum plays for the East-leading Pistons, who should no longer be catching any opponents by surprise, even if Stewart still does on the defensive end.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I do it, I feel it. I feel dudes\u2019 hearts being crushed,\u201d he said. \u201cI know I can get dunked on, but I don\u2019t care. Most people would try to find a way to get out of trouble…<\/p>\n \u201cBut I wait there. I put myself in harm\u2019s way.\u201d<\/p>\n Stewart knows that making such plays comes with risk. Still, it\u2019s clear how much he relishes his role — as protector, as intimidator, as torch-carrying member of tradition, continuing on a proud past while adding his own twist. One that Detroit\u2019s legendary big man can surely appreciate.<\/p>\n \u201cThe physical nature, going out there and [saying], \u2018I\u2019m gonna protect my teammates, protect this paint,\u201d Wallace said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if you got a problem with it, that\u2019s just on you.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ISAIAH STEWART HAD seen enough. From nearly 100 feet away and with his knees and ankles wrapped in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":503278,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[49,48,187749,200896,459,82],"class_list":["post-503277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-detroit-pistons-sports-basketball-team-team-statscom-8","tag-isaiah-stewart-sports-basketball-player-player-statscom-1177050","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=503277"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503277\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/503278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=503277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=503277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=503277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}