Isaiah Stewart's Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Pistons Roster
The Detroit Pistons selected Washington power forward Isaiah Stewart with the No. 16 overall selection in the 2020 NBA draft Wednesday.
Detroit acquired the pick the same day in a trade with the Houston Rockets, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report
Player: Isaiah Stewart
Position: PF/C
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 250 lbs
Pro Comparison: Bruno Fernando
Scouting Report: NBA players will immediately have trouble with Isaiah Stewart's power and strength. He's an enforcer, capable of moving bigs at both ends and scoring through them around the basket. Proving he can knock down jump shots could ultimately go a long way toward his value in today's NBA.
Here's a look at where Stewart will slot in on the team's depth chart:
Isaiah Stewart, PF/C: Rookie scale contract (2024)
Blake Griffin, PF: $34.2M (2022)
Tony Snell, SF: $12.2M (2021)
Trevor Ariza, SF: $12.5M (2021)
Luke Kennard, SG: $3.8M (2021)
Derrick Rose, PG: $7.5M (2021)
Dzanan Musa, SG: $2M (2023)
Khyri Thomas, SG: $1.3M (2021)
Killian Hayes, PG: Rookie scale contract (2024)
Brandon Knight, PG: UFA
John Henson, PF: UFA
Langston Galloway, SG: UFA
Thon Maker, C: RFA
Christian Wood, PF: UFA
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, SG: Team option
Jordan Bone, PG: RFA
Louis King, SF: RFA
Jordan McRae: RFA
Stewart joined the Huskies after a standout high school career capped by winning Naismith Prep Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball USA honors as a senior in 2019.
The 19-year-old New York native made an immediate impact at the collegiate level. He averaged 17.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 57.0 percent from the field across 32 appearances for UW as a freshman before declaring for the draft.
"I take a lot of pride in winning national player of the year in high school. The list of guys that won that award is impressive," Stewart told ESPN's Jonathan Givony in April. "I feel like I am someone who can play in an NBA game tomorrow physically."
He was named First Team All-Pac 12 during his only season with the Huskies.
Stewart, a dominant post player throughout his career so far with a 6'9" frame, also started the process of developing his game to better match the modern NBA. He shot 25 percent on 20 three-point attempts at Washington, and it's an area he should steadily improve in the coming years.
He'll be a more traditional power forward at the outset of his pro career, likely sliding to center in small-ball lineups, but he's got all the tools to become an All-Star during his eventual peak years.
Stewart should slot into the rotation as a rookie with the Pistons and gradually develop his game.
He's enjoyed high-end success at each stop of his basketball journey and, while that might not happen immediately in the NBA, he's a high-upside addition for Detroit.
