Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, who calls himself the NBA's best defender, must play at least 20 minutes in each of the team's remaining 19 games to qualify for end-of-season awards. He leads the league in defensive field goal percentage at the rim for the second straight year, with opponents shooting just 42.7% against him. Stewart has expressed frustration with the league's 65-game rule, which he believes disadvantages dedicated players.
Isaiah Stewart has been vocal about his defensive prowess since last season, repeatedly claiming to be the NBA's top defender. After shootaround at Barclays Center on Tuesday, the 6-foot-8 Pistons center reiterated his case. "I say that because this is my second year in a row leading the league in defensive field goal percentage," Stewart said. "Obviously I may not get the block every time, but you're talking 42% at the rim versus guys that are averaging a lot more blocks, but you look at their percentage at the rim and it's like 50–55% or high 40s. So I just feel like I'm the best."
NBA tracking data supports his claim, showing opponents shoot a league-low 42.7% at the rim against Stewart. Beyond statistics, he values the respect he commands, noting, "I'm not 7-foot, I'm not 7-2, I'm not 7-3. The fact that I am who I am and they see me at the rim and they defer, I think it's a respect thing." The Pistons boast the East's best record at 45-18 and the league's second-best defense, allowing 108.9 points per 100 possessions, with Stewart's rim protection, toughness, and mobility contributing significantly.
Stewart further explained his versatility: "I'm the best defensive player because you can put me in any defensive scheme and I'm able to anchor the defense, whether that's guarding perimeter, guarding the rim, guarding bigger guys. And not only that, I feel like my presence -- not everybody's driving in looking to score every time because of my presence and my timing on taking dunks out the air."
However, his awards aspirations hinge on the NBA's 65-game eligibility rule, introduced for the 2023-24 season to encourage participation and reduce load management. Players must log at least 20 minutes in 65 games, with up to two games of 15-20 minutes counting. Stewart has appeared in 52 of Detroit's 63 games but only 46 qualify, having played under 20 minutes in eight. A near-miss occurred in the Pistons' 122-117 win over the Indiana Pacers on November 24, where one more second would have made it 47.
To reach 65, he needs 20 minutes in all 19 remaining games. Last season, despite playing 72 games at an average of 19.9 minutes, he only hit 20 minutes 30 times and missed eligibility. "I was pretty pissed off about that because I left it all out there every single game and I wasn't able to qualify," Stewart said. He contacted the National Basketball Players Association, which agreed the rule hurts deserving players, though it was already in place.
Recently, a seven-game suspension from a skirmish with the Charlotte Hornets spared his eligibility, as eight or more would disqualify him. "I'm not a big fan of the rule," Stewart said. "I feel like it hurts guys." He understands its intent but finds it creates tricky situations for players like himself. For comparison, Donte DiVincenzo of the New York Knicks missed Most Improved Player votes last year for similar reasons but was less affected.
