Pistons' No. 1 Pick Finally Should Make Isaiah Stewart a Winner Again
The Detroit Pistons claimed the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA annual lottery draft for the first time in more than five decades, since choosing Hall of Fame center Bob Lanier from St. Bonaventure in 1970.
Which means maybe, just maybe, Isaiah Stewart will find himself on a winning team sometime soon.
Since spending a freshman season at the University of Washington and playing another as a rookie for the Pistons, the 6-foot-9 big man has had few team rewards, which wasn't his fault.
The hard-working Stewart played for the Huskies' 15-17 and Pac-12 last-place team in 2019-20 and this past season endured a 20-52 record with Detroit, the second-worst across the entire NBA. He started 14 of 68 games in the Motor City, averaging 7.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game and shooting 55.3 percent overall.
The Pistons like to think their luck is about to change back to something good by now having the top draft spot in the July 29 draft.
A year ago, they took three players in the first round of the draft in 6-foot-5 guard Killian Hayes from France at No. 7, Stewart at No. 16 and 6-foot-7 swingman Saddiq Bey from Villanova at No. 19.
The Pistons are widely expected to choose Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham with that No. 1 overall pick, and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Cowboys player will visit only with Detroit before the draft unfolds in a month.
"Obviously we get to add another wing player to the restoration process," Pistons general manager Troy Weaver said. "We're excited to be in this position. But it means that we've got a lot of work to do, and we're going to be diligent about it. But it always helps to be able to add the No. 1 pick."
Cunningham will be the Pistons' first top five pick since they drafted Darko Milicic second overall in 2003, and just their third in the past 40 years.
Stewart was named to second five of the NBA All-Rookie team, joined by New York Knicks' Immanuel Quickly, Memphis Grizzlies' Desmond Bane, Cleveland Cavaliers Isaac Okoro and Chicago Bulls' Patrick Williams.
His Pistons teammate, Bey, was a first-team selection with the Charlotte Hornets' LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards, Sacramento Kings' Tyrese Haliburton and Houston Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate.
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