Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart reportedly punched Suns player in back of arena

Dec 14, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) in a time out during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Stewart really seems to dislike players in the Pacific Division.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Detroit Pistons big man Stewart punched Phoenix Suns counterpart Drew Eubanks in the back tunnels of the Footprint Center in Phoenix. The incident apparently occurred with more than an hour to go before tip-off of Wednesday’s scheduled Suns-Pistons game.

Charania says that it is currently unclear what exactly sparked the physical altercation but that the NBA is expected to receive footage to review. The two players were reportedly chest-to-chest before a swing by Stewart to Eubanks’ face connected. Both men were then separated, and a police presence has since gotten involved with the situation, Charania adds.

Eubanks confirmed the incident to reporters and said that Stewart sucker-punched him as he was coming into the arena. But Eubanks added that he would be fine for Wednesday’s game, calling it a “soft punch.”

Eubanks is good to go for tonight. He’s playing.

“Soft punch.”

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) February 15, 2024

Wednesday’s game marks the second of two meetings this season between the Suns and Pistons. Phoenix won the first meeting on Nov. 5 in Detroit by a final of 120-106, and both Stewart and Eubanks played against each other in that game. However, there is no real rivalry between the two non-conference opponents (though Pistons coach Monty Williams was previously the head coach of the Suns).

The 22-year-old Stewart, who won’t even be playing on Wednesday as he nurses an ankle injury that has kept him out since late January, is known as a bit of a hothead. He was suspended during the 2021-22 season over a wild altercation with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. Now Stewart will likely be facing another suspension over this ugly incident with Eubanks.