Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart was slapped with an assault citation after he allegedly punched Phoenix Suns' Drew Eubanks before their scheduled game, as reported by FOX10 Phoenix. The incident occurred in the back tunnels of the Footprint Center, where the two NBA teams were set to clash.
Though already benched for the game due to a sprained left ankle, Stewart still found his way into a scuffle that led to him to allegedly throw a punch at Eubanks. The Phoenix police confirmed that Stewart was quickly to be released after the citation was written. Drew Eubanks, playing for the Suns, said the argument started as he was entering the arena, "We were chest-to-chest before Stewart threw the punch," Eubanks told FOX10 Phoenix. Despite the incident, Eubanks took to the court after the altercation and contributed six points and six rebounds to his team's victory.
"The attack on Drew Eubanks was unprovoked, and acts of violence such as this are unacceptable," The Suns denounced in a post-game statement. Meanwhile, the Pistons were more reserved, stating, "We are in the process of gathering information about what happened and what provoked it," according to their response.
Detroit's coach Monty Williams criticized the Suns' quick judgment, noting, "For me to come here and make a statement would be a bit irresponsible. I know the Suns said it was unprovoked; I think that is irresponsible for sure. You really don’t know," Williams said, as per a New York Post report. The NBA is expected to review the footage of the pregame conflict as part of their investigation.
This is not the first time Stewart's actions have caused uproar; he was previously embroiled in a much-publicized tussle with LeBron James in 2021. The incident Friday night has once again put Stewart in potential trouble with the NBA, raising questions around the escalating intensity of on and off-court altercations.
