Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart returned from a two-game suspension for a Friday matinee against the LA Clippers. It was Stewart's first time back with the team since his altercation with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James less than a week ago.
Stewart played 27 minutes in his return, finishing with just four points and 12 rebounds in the blowout loss to the Clippers. After the game, Stewart met with members of the media, where he addressed the altercation that's still talked about five days later.
“This is gonna be my last time addressing it,” Isaiah Stewart said. “I watched the film. Me personally, I didn’t feel like it was an accident, but it’s my last time addressing it. My main focus right now is on my team, my teammates, getting back to playing basketball.”
"I watched the film. Me personally, I didn’t feel like it was an accident, but it’s my last time addressing it. My main focus right now is on my team."
Isaiah Stewart on altercation with LeBron James.
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) November 26, 2021
The NBA reviewed the altercation between Stewart and LeBron James from Sunday's Pistons-Lakers game, assessing a one-game suspension for James and a two-game suspension for Stewart.
The Pistons big man charged James multiple times following the shot he took to the eyebrow area, which required seven stitches to close.
“I’m not gonna let that define who I am,” Stewart added. “I’m gonna let what Detroit drafted me for define who I am and the way I play basketball so I don’t want to address that no more. My main focus is on helping my teammates and coaches.”
Pistons head coach Dwane Casey also addressed the incident prior to Isaiah Stewart's return, saying it's the altercation and subsequent kerfuffle was not indicative of who the big man really is.
“Other men, in that same situation, they would probably have reacted, right wrong, or indifferent, in the same manner,” Casey said Friday afternoon. “Maybe not as extended as Isaiah took it, which was unfortunate. But that situation is nowhere a reflection of who he is. I don’t think LeBron’s a dirty player. I think it’s an unfortunate situation with both men. But he reacted and he was remorseful for it. He’s a great kid. The kind of kid you wanna take home with your family.
“Again, that was not a portrait of who he is as a man. Love him, he’s a part of our family, and again, for us, that’s in the rearview mirror.”
Isaiah Stewart and the Pistons will look to move on from the incident, but their next game is against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night at Staples Center. Will there more fireworks? Will the two make up, dap up, and move forward?
Pistons-Lakers is set to tip off at 6:30 PM PST on Sunday night.
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