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In his fifth year with the Detroit Pistons, backup center Isaiah Stewart is finally in the NBA playoffs.
Once a nationally-recognized high school player, Stewart’s reputation has developed from that of a can’t-miss prospect to a scrappy, hot-tempered role player. His flare-ups have gotten him in trouble at times (including one leading to his arrest in Phoenix, Arizona) but his play has reminded many Detroit fans of the Bad Boy Pistons of the late 1980s and early ’90s.
So, is he a fight-ready, NBA bad boy? Or a passionate, critical component of a championship roster?
Here are four things to know about Pistons center (and fan favorite) Isaiah Stewart.
Isaiah Stewart’s nickname is Beef Stew
Stewart got his Beef Stew nickname during his rookie season with the Pistons from a Detroit fan. His appearance on “America’s Test Kitchen” helped push the nickname to TV broadcasts.
Isaiah Stewart was named Mr. Basketball USA in 2019
Before Stewart landed with the Pistons, he was once considered by many as the best high school player in the nation. As the winner of the Mr. Basketball USA title in 2019, Stewart joined other accomplished winners like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar and current teammate Cade Cunningham.
One year earlier, Stewart represented Team USA at the U17 FIBA World Cup, where he was the team’s leading scorer in a 95-52 win over France in the gold medal game.
After spending his lone college season at Washington, Stewart was drafted 16th overall by the Pistons in the 2020 NBA draft after Detroit acquired the pick from the Houston Rockets (who initially acquired the pick from the Portland Trail Blazers).
Isaiah Stewart fights in NBA
For many NBA fans, Stewart is most famous for an altercation he had with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in November of 2021, Stewart’s second year in the league.
After being bloodied by a backhand from James while jostling for position during a free throw, Stewart repeatedly pursued James, held back by players and coaches. Stewart was eventually suspended for two games for the altercation (while James received a one-game suspension for the initial hit).
Stewart received another two-game suspension in February of 2024 after punching Phoenix Suns big man Drew Eubanks near the loading docks of the Footprint Center in Phoenix. He was initially arrested for the incident, but the charges against Stewart were later dropped.
Some of Stewart’s aggressiveness appears on the court, too. He ranked third in the NBA with 15 technical fouls this season, and his most recent two-game suspension after a team tussle with the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 30 came as a result of Stewart’s “repeated history of unsportsmanlike conduct,” according to the NBA.
Isaiah Stewart’s position (and role) has evolved
Stewart played center early in his NBA career, but then played lots of power forward in his second, third and fourth seasons. He’s now back at center this season where he has thrived.
With the emergence of center Jalen Duren, the Pistons moved Stewart back to center this season under first-year coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Stewart has come off the bench, starting a career-low four games, and has seen his per-game minutes from a career-high 30.9 the previous season to 19.9 this season.
This may have been a great move for Stewart’s production, however. Despite the role change, Stewart set career highs in games played (72), field-goal percentage (55.9%), assists per game (1.7) and blocks per game (1.4).
The Pistons signed Stewart to a four-year, $60 million rookie extension in 2023. He is in Year 1 of the deal, which features a team option on the fourth year.
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