Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart arrested for assault after punching Suns’ Drew Eubanks in pregame altercation
Detroit Pistons centeℱr Isaiah Stewart was arrested for assault ༒Wednesday night for punching Suns center Drew Eubanks at the arena hours before the teams played, .
Phoenix police said Stewart was 🅘issued a citation and released.
Stewart — who was already listed as out for the game because of a sprained left ankle — punched Eubanks in the face in the back tunnels of Footprint Center ahead of the Suns’ 116-110 win over Detroit on Wednesday, .
Eubanks, who scored six points and added six ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrebounds in the win, said before the game the altercation happened as he was coming into the aꦕrena.
He said෴ an argument started and they were chest-to-chest before Stewart threw the punch. Security intervened and Eubanks said he was fine for the game, though police say he sustained a minor injury.
Eubanks was seen warming up on thওe court after the altercation and said that he wa♒s good to play, calling Stewart’s punch
“The attack on Drew Eubanks was unprovoked, and acts of violence such as this are unacceptable,” the Suns said in a statement after the game. “We unequivocally support Drew, and will continue to work with local law enforcement and the NBA.”
“We are in the process of gat♔hering information about what happened and w⛎hat provoked it, and responding to the NBA and local authorities,” the Pistons said.
Before the news of Stewarts’ arrest, Pistons coach Monty Williams, fired by Phoenix after last season, said he thought the Suns should not have weighed in with their statement.
“The thing is to get all of the information. The NBA will do an investigation,” Williams said. “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.
“That did not need to happen. There is a time for the informatio༺n to be gathered and then y🦂ou can make a statement.”
Stewart hit Eubไanks’ lip area and police had to get involved in the altercation to separate the two.
The NB🍸A als��o is expected to receive and review footage of the incident.
Stewart had beeꩲn ruled out of Wednesday’s game before this incident with Eubanks and had been dealing with an ankle injury for the past seven games, all of which 🍷he missed.
He has spent the past four seasons with the Pistons and ♓has played in 35 games this seaso▨n.
Stewart came into the night averaging 11.0 points, 6.8 rꦿebounds and 1.7 assists.
The altercation wouldn’t be the first time Stewart has found himself potentially in the crosshairs🔜 of the NBA.
In 2021, Stewart was involved in an ugly incident when he attempted to charge LeBron James and other Lakers players after he was bloodied as he fought for a rebound.
The Piston pla🎃yer had to be restrained by teammates and security.
But the Suns✃ and Pistons don’t have much of a rivalry or any bad blood.
They do have a connection, though, as Pistons coach Monꦆty Williams was prev𓆉iously a head coach in Phoenix.
— with AP
