J.B. Bickerstaff Has Major Praise For Hard Nosed Big Man Isaiah Stewart

Over the past few seasons, Isaiah Stewart has been involved in many scraps on the NBA floor, with perhaps the most famous being one involving LeBron James. This has given the Detroit Pistons a major edge, even if many fans believe that fighting and intimidating opponents is his only purpose for being in the league.

That may not be the case, according to Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff, as he was full of praise when asked about Stewart's impact on the defensive end recently.

"He's the best defensive center in the league, and it's not close. And I think it's time that everybody who watches basketball recognizes it."

After another solid performance, Bickerstaff calls Stewart the best defensive center in the game, despite players like Rudy Gobert with multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards still being active in the league. Sure, Stewart's physicality makes him a genuine threat, and with Jalen Duren starting for this team, it gives them a very good 1–2 punch moving forward.

For now, though, the Pistons are having plenty of success, and given that Stewart is healthy this season, they're optimistic about a run in the NBA Playoffs as a result in 2025–26. Only time will tell if they can keep up this play, but with the physicality of Stewart and the combination of Cade Cunningham/Duren leading the way, it's easy to see why this fanbase is so excited about the present and the future.