2025 NBA Draft Early Entrants List
Early entrants who wish to declare for the 2025 NBA draft have until the end of the day on Saturday, April 26 to make that decision official.
Players who declare for the draft this year will have to withdraw by the end of the day on May 28 if they wish to retain their NCAA eligibility. The NBA’s withdrawal deadline, which is more relevant for international prospects, is on June 15 at 5:00 pm Eastern time. The 2025 draft will take place on June 25 and 26.
[RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Dates, Deadlines To Watch]
Typically, the initial number of early entrants declaring for the draft is far bigger than the final total will be, since many players “test the draft waters” to get feedback on their stock before ultimately deciding to withdraw. Additionally, many players who are technically seniors have been on the early entrant list in recent years after being granted an extra year of NCAA eligibility in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the implementation of a rule allowing student athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness (NIL) has resulted in the number of early entrants trending downward in recent years. In 2024, a total 201 prospects initially declared as early entrants, with 77 of those players ultimately keeping their names in the draft and going pro. Those figures were down from 242 and 92, respectively, in 2023, and 283 and 149 in 2022.
We’ll use this post to keep track of reports and announcements on early entrant prospects and their decisions. We’ll archive them all here in a running list, which will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu.
The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.
Last updated 6-17-25 (12:22 pm CT)
College Underclassmen
Remaining in draft:
- Ace Bailey, G/F, Rutgers (freshman)
- Carter Bryant, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Egor Demin, G, BYU (freshman)
- V.J. Edgecombe, G, Baylor (freshman)
- Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma (freshman)
- Cooper Flagg, F, Duke (freshman)
- Rasheer Fleming, F/C, St. Joseph’s (junior)
- Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers (freshman)
- Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois (freshman)
- Tre Johnson, G, Texas (freshman)
- Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke (freshman)
- RJ Luis, F, St. John’s (junior)
- Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (freshman)
- Liam McNeeley, F, UConn (freshman)
- Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina (sophomore)
- Asa Newell, F, Georgia (freshman)
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, F/C, Penn State (junior)
- Drake Powell, G/F, UNC (freshman)
- Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke (junior)
- Derik Queen, C, Maryland (freshman)
- Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State (freshman)
- Will Riley, F, Illinois (freshman)
- Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown (freshman)
- Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas (junior)
- Danny Wolf, F/C, Michigan (junior)
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
Note: Some of these players will also be transferring to new schools.
- John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin (sophomore)
- Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona (junior)
- Miles Byrd, G, San Diego State (sophomore)
- Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida (sophomore)
- Alex Condon, F/C, Florida (sophomore)
- Tae Davis, F, Notre Dame (junior)
- Silas Demary, G, Georgia (sophomore)
- Jerry Deng, F, Florida State (sophomore)
- Treysen Eaglestaff, G, North Dakota (junior)
- Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (freshman)
- Elijah Fisher, G/F, Pacific (junior)
- Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- PJ Haggerty, G, Memphis (sophomore)
- Chris Howell, G, UC San Diego (junior)
- Josh Hubbard, G, Mississippi State (sophomore)
- Karter Knox, F, Arkansas (freshman)
- Kobe Knox, G, South Florida (junior)
- Toibu Lawal, F, Virginia Tech (junior)
- Brenen Lorient, F, North Texas (junior)
- Jaland Lowe, G, Pittsburgh (sophomore)
- Ven-Allen Lubin, F, North Carolina (junior)
- Nick Martinelli, F, Northwestern (junior)
- Camron McDowell, G, Northwestern Oklahoma State (junior)
- Devin McGlockton, F, Vanderbilt (junior)
- Mackenzie Mgbako, F, Indiana (sophomore)
- Kebba Njie, F, Notre Dame (junior)
- AK Okereke, F, Cornell (junior)
- Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (junior)
- Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn (freshman)
- Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (freshman)
- Devon Pryor, F, Texas (sophomore)
- Joson Sanon, G, Arizona State (freshman)
- Raysean Seamster, F, UT Arlington (junior)
- Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State (junior)
- Milos Uzan, G, Houston (junior)
- Brandon Walker, F, Montana State (junior)
- Lamar Wilkerson, G, Sam Houston State (junior)
- Darrion Williams, F, Texas Tech (junior)
- Money Williams, G, Montana (sophomore)
College Seniors
Remaining in draft:
- Cedric Coward, F, Washington State
- Omar Rowe, G, Morehouse
- Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
Note: Some of these players will also be transferring to new schools.
- Chad Baker-Mazara, G/F, Auburn
- Quincy Ballard, C, Wichita State
- Nathan Bittle, C, Oregon
- Tayton Conerway, G, Troy
- Melvin Council Jr., G, St. Bonaventure
- Dominick Harris, G, UCLA
- Yaxel Lendeborg, F, UAB
- Jaron Pierre, G, Jacksonville State
- Malik Thomas, G, San Francisco
International players
Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.
Remaining in draft:
- Izan Almansa, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
- Joan Beringer, C, Slovenia (born 2006)
- Mohamed Diawara, F, France (born 2005)
- Noa Essengue, F, Germany (born 2006)
- Hugo Gonzalez, F, Spain (born 2006)
- Bogoljub Markovic, F/C, Serbia (born 2005)
- Muodubem Muoneke, G, Spain (born 2003)
- Ousmane N’Diaye, F/C, Spain (born 2004)
- Eli Ndiaye, C, Spain (born 2004)
- Saliou Niang, F, Italy (born 2004)
- Noah Penda, F, France (born 2005)
- Ben Saraf, G, Germany (born 2006)
- Alex Toohey, F, Australia (born 2004)
- Nolan Traore, G, France (born 2006)
- Hansen Yang, C, China (born 2005)
- Rocco Zikarsky, C, Australia (born 2006)
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
- Mohammad Amini, G/F, France (born 2005)
- Alec Anigbata, F, Germany (born 2004)
- Neoklis Avdalas, G/F, Greece (born 2006)
- Bassala Bagayoko, C, Spain (born 2006)
- Asim Djulovic, G/F, Serbia (born 2005)
- Mouhamed Faye, C, Italy (born 2005)
- Lazar Gacic, C, Serbia (born 2005)
- Ben Henshall, G/F, Australia (born 2004)
- Malique Lewis, F, Australia (born 2004)
- Mathias M’Madi, G, Spain (born 2005)
- Paul Mbiya, F/C, France (born 2005)
- Zaion Nebot, G, France (born 2004)
- Michael Ruzic, F, Spain (born 2006)
- David Torresani, G, Italy (born 2005)
Other players
Remaining in draft:
- Isaac Nogues, G, Rip City Remix (born 2004)
- Dink Pate, G/F, Mexico City Capitanes (born 2006)
Withdrew from draft after testing waters:
- Thierry Darlan, G, Delaware Blue Coats (born 2004)
Note: Information from Rookie Scale and HoopsHype was used in the creation of this post.
Hawks Fire General Manager Landry Fields
The Hawks have fired general manager Landry Fields and will begin a search for a new president of basketball operations, the team announced today in a press release.
While Atlanta seeks a new top front office executive, assistant general manager Onsi Saleh will replace Fields as GM on an interim basis, overseeing day-to-day basketball operations for the organization.
“Every offseason we evaluate how we operate and ways we can improve our organization,” team owner Tony Ressler said in a statement. “As we enter this pivotal offseason, we have several complex decisions ahead of us, and we are committed to providing the human and financial resources needed to ensure that we navigate these decisions with a high level of precision and foresight. Adding an accomplished, senior-level leader to provide strategic direction and structure as well as partnering with Onsi and our talented front office is a top priority.
“I would genuinely like to thank Landry for his leadership during his time with us. Landry made our franchise better and left contributions that have positioned us for growth. I am grateful for his dedication and wish him success in his next endeavor.”
Fields replaced former president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk during the 2022/23 season and has been running the Hawks’ front office since then. The team has won 41, 36, and 40 games in his three seasons at the helm, making a single playoff appearance during that time and not advancing past the first round.
Atlanta was eliminated in the play-in tournament this year, doesn’t control any of its own first-round picks through 2027, and faces an uncertain future with star guard Trae Young, who will be extension-eligible this offseason.
However, the Hawks’ roster features a promising core of young talent, including forward Jalen Johnson, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player finalist Dyson Daniels, and last year’s No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. The club also controls a handful of draft picks from other teams, including the Kings’ (top-12 protected) and Lakers’ first-rounders in 2025.
According to today’s announcement, the Hawks have hired Sportsology Group, an advisory firm, to direct their search for a new head of basketball operations. That suggests the process likely won’t move as quickly in Atlanta as it did in New Orleans or Sacramento, where the Pelicans and Kings chose new top executives almost immediately after firing their former GMs.
Sixers general manager Elton Brand, who works under Daryl Morey in Philadelphia, is among the candidates expected to receive consideration from the Hawks, according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer (Twitter link).
During his end-of-season media session, Fields shot down any speculation that Quin Snyder‘s job was in danger. While that may still be true, it’s worth keeping an eye on Snyder’s status with Fields out of the picture, since it’s not uncommon for new lead executives to want to make their own head coaching hires.
Poll: Who Should Win 2024/25 NBA Awards?
The NBA announced the 2024/25 finalists for its seven major awards on Sunday, revealing the top three vote-getters for Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Clutch Player of the Year.
A few of these awards have felt like foregone conclusions for a while, but some other results could be genuine surprises.
Today though, we’re not focusing on which players will win the awards, but the ones you believe should win them. Select your winners for this year’s major NBA awards in the seven polls below, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts.
Our polls only include the three finalists in each category, but if you think someone else deserves to win one of these awards, be sure to use the comment section to “write in” that pick and explain your reasoning.
Most Valuable Player
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Who should win Most Valuable Player?
-
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) 54% (640)
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) 41% (492)
-
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) 5% (56)
Total votes: 1,188
Defensive Player of the Year
- Draymond Green (Warriors)
- Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
- Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
Who should win Defensive Player of the Year?
-
Evan Mobley (Cavaliers) 44% (474)
-
Dyson Daniels (Hawks) 37% (401)
-
Draymond Green (Warriors) 19% (205)
Total votes: 1,080
Rookie of the Year
- Stephon Castle (Spurs)
- Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
- Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)
Who should win Rookie of the Year?
-
Stephon Castle (Spurs) 68% (663)
-
Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks) 19% (189)
-
Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies) 13% (129)
Total votes: 981
Most Improved Player
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
- Ivica Zubac (Clippers)
Who should win Most Improved Player?
-
Cade Cunningham (Pistons) 47% (482)
-
Dyson Daniels (Hawks) 28% (294)
-
Ivica Zubac (Clippers) 25% (259)
Total votes: 1,035
Sixth Man of the Year
- Malik Beasley (Pistons)
- Ty Jerome (Cavaliers)
- Payton Pritchard (Celtics)
Who should win Sixth Man of the Year?
-
Payton Pritchard (Celtics) 47% (462)
-
Malik Beasley (Pistons) 30% (294)
-
Ty Jerome (Cavaliers) 24% (233)
Total votes: 989
Coach of the Year
- Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers)
- J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
- Ime Udoka (Rockets)
Who should win Coach of the Year?
-
Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers) 54% (542)
-
J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons) 36% (358)
-
Ime Udoka (Rockets) 10% (102)
Total votes: 1,002
Clutch Player of the Year
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Who should win Clutch Player of the Year?
-
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) 49% (481)
-
Jalen Brunson (Knicks) 30% (289)
-
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves) 21% (204)
Total votes: 974
Cooper Flagg Entering 2025 NBA Draft
Top prospect and projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg is entering the 2025 NBA draft, according to an announcement from Duke’s men’s basketball program (Twitter link) and a video posted to Flagg’s Instagram account.
The 6’9″ forward submitted one of the most impressive seasons by a college freshman in recent memory, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 30.7 minutes per game across 37 outings (all starts) for the Blue Devils.
Flagg posted a shooting line of .481/.385/.840 and led Duke to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a berth in the Final Four. He was a consensus first-team All-American and was named the ACC Player of the Year, as well as the Naismith College Player of the Year.
While Flagg isn’t necessarily viewed as a generational prospect like Victor Wembanyama was in 2023, he’ll be the clear-cut top choice for whichever NBA team wins the draft lottery next month.
The Jazz, Wizards, and Hornets each have a 14% chance to land this year’s first overall pick, followed by the Pelicans at 12.5%, the Sixers at 10.5%, the Nets at 9%, and the Raptors at 7.5%.
Flagg is the third Duke underclassman to declare for the 2025 NBA draft this spring, joining teammates Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor.
One 2025 Free Agent To Watch From Each NBA Playoff Team
A team's evaluation of a player's worth typically doesn't fluctuate wildly from game to game in the postseason, but it's not uncommon for a strong run on the NBA's biggest stage to boost a player's stock as he enters free agency.
In 2023, for instance, veteran wing Bruce Brown played a crucial role for the champion Nuggets, averaging nearly 27 minutes off the bench and establishing himself as the type of complementary piece any playoff team could use. Brown, who had never earned more than $6.5MM in a season, signed a contract with the Pacers in free agency that paid him $45MM over the next two years.
Isaiah Hartenstein was essentially the 2024 version of Brown. Starting every playoff game for a Knicks team that was one win away from the conference finals, the big man led the NBA in postseason offensive rebounding, anchored New York's defense, and showed off his offensive play-making. Up until that point, the most lucrative contract of Hartenstein's career had paid him $18MM over two seasons. Coming off that postseason showing, he landed a three-year, $87MM deal with the Thunder.
There's no guarantee that a role player like Brown or Hartenstein will parlay a strong playoff run this spring into a free agent contract that dwarfs their previous career earnings, but it's certainly a possibility.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at one player from each of this year's 16 NBA playoff teams who could - or will - reach free agency this offseason and whose future earnings will depend at least in part on how they perform in the postseason.
Celtics’ Tatum Says Wrist Is ‘All Right’ After Hard Fall
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum underwent an X-ray on his right wrist following the team’s Game 1 win over Orlando on Sunday, but he said it came back “clean,” as Baxter Holmes of ESPN relays.
Tatum drove to the basket during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game and was met by Magic defenders Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr., who collided with the Celtics star and sent him to the floor and into the basket stanchion (Twitter video link via ESPN).
Tatum grabbed his right wrist and remained on the floor for some time before eventually getting up and remaining in the game. However, as Holmes notes, he immediately missed a pair of free throws and seemed to be favoring that wrist for the rest of the night.
“It’s all right,” Tatum told reporters after the game. “Just fell on it, landed on it. … It was throbbing for a second. Kind of went away.”
Head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t seem concerned about Tatum’s availability going forward, Holmes notes, telling the media that the 27-year-old was “doing good.”
Tatum isn’t the only Celtics star whose health is worth monitoring during the first round. Jaylen Brown returned to action on Sunday after missing nine of the the team’s final 20 regular season games (including the last three) due to a right knee issue. Brown, who played 30 minutes, looked to be moving well and didn’t experience any setbacks in Game 1.
“I felt good today,” Brown said after the game, per Holmes. “To start the game, it took me a little bit to get into the game. I feel like I was watching a little bit to start. Second half, I was able to get more involved, make some plays, have some better activities.”
Former NBA Guard Kendrick Nunn Named EuroLeague MVP
Veteran guard Kendrick Nunn, who played in the NBA from 2019-23, has been named the EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today in a press release.
Nunn, a member of Panathinaikos in Greece, beat out former EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov for the honor after averaging a league-leading 21.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game with a shooting line of .503/.426/.856 across 33 outings.
Nunn led Panathinaikos to a 22-12 record and a No. 3 finish in the 18-team league.
The EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player award is voted on by head coaches (35%), team captains (35%), media members (20%), and fans (10%). Vezenkov was the runner-up in the voting after returning to Europe last year to join Olympiacos following an NBA stint, while TJ Shorts of Paris Basketball finished third.
Nunn is the third American player to earn MVP honors in the history of the EuroLeague, joining Anthony Parker (2005 and 2006) and Mike James (2024).
Nunn, who appeared in 193 regular season games for the Heat, Lakers, and Wizards, recently signed a three-year contract extension with Panathinaikos that will make him the EuroLeague’s highest-paid player. That deal reportedly doesn’t include NBA out clauses, so the 29-year-old will remain overseas for the foreseeable future.
Panathinaikos will square off against Anadolu Efes in the first round of the EuroLeague playoffs, beginning on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to the Final Four.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Kuminga, Suns, Jones, Williamson, Nowitzki
Jonathan Kuminga‘s role in the playoffs will be closely watched around the league as he heads into restricted free agency, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line report (Substack link).
Kuminga never entered the game in the Warriors‘ play-in victory over Memphis on Tuesday. It’s expected that Kuminga will have at least a limited role in the first-round series against the Rockets as Golden State tries to combat Houston’s athleticism.
Coach Steve Kerr has stated publicly that the combination of Kuminga and Jimmy Butler at the forward spots hasn’t worked well due to spacing issues — both are subpar three-point shooters. The coaching staff had hoped that Kuminga might be further along in developing his play-making skills.
The front office and Kuminga couldn’t meet his asking price during rookie scale extension talks. He was seeking more than $30MM annually. The Nets are a potential suitor with enough cap space to give Kuminga a lucrative contract, but a sign-and-trade with another team could be a potential option this summer.
Here’s more from the latest Stein Line round-up from Stein and Fischer:
- The Suns are unlikely to pursue another veteran coach after Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer lasted just one season apiece. However, Pelicans coach Willie Green is a potential candidate if new New Orleans president of basketball operations Joe Dumars doesn’t retain Green. Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey and Mavericks assistants Jared Dudley and Sean Sweeney could also be in the mix, Stein and Fischer confirm. Those names were all previously reported.
- It’s not a certainty Suns top executive James Jones will hold onto his job. Owner Mat Ishbia could make a change in the front office before a new head coach is hired, Stein and Fischer note.
- Dumars will take his time before deciding whether he’ll look to shop oft-injured franchise player Zion Williamson. There’s some skepticism around the NBA that the Pelicans will continue to ride with Williamson as their cornerstone piece.
- The Pelicans‘ decision to hire Dumars a day after David Griffin was let go and the Kings’ same-day hiring of Scott Perry to replace Monte McNair have both faced scrutiny around the league, with sources wondering why the teams didn’t conduct more thorough searches, Stein and Fischer say. Dumars was also said to be high on Sacramento’s list.
- Dirk Nowitzki has an office at the Mavericks‘ practice facility but he’s rarely there, which speaks to his distance from the Mavericks current ownership group and general manager Nico Harrison. Nowitzki was named a special advisor to former majority owner Mark Cuban, who no longer has much say in personnel decisions, including the blockbuster Luka Doncic deal.
Southeast Notes: Rozier, Mitchell, Heat, Johnson, Magic
Heat guard Terry Rozier admits it’s been a rough season but he doesn’t want to be a distraction, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Rozier didn’t get off the bench in the play-in tournament, except to cheer for his teammates, including his de facto replacement, midseason trade acquisition Davion Mitchell.
“I don’t carry bad energy with me,” said Rozier, who has one year and $26.6MM remaining on his contract. “I’m not a hater. How he’s playing, Davion, I think we’re all excited to see that. So I don’t carry bad energy with me and I love to see it.
“Even if I’m not playing, we still got to get in the playoffs and give ourselves another chance to be able to enjoy that dance at the end,” Rozier added. “I’m just happy to be a part of the process, even if I’m not playing. You never know, I could play in Game 2, 3 or 4. I know how that stuff works. Just making sure I’m staying ready. And definitely me being positive, me being a good teammate, I’m never going to change.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Speaking of Mitchell, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is happy with the way the fourth-year guard and two other major in-season acquisitions, Kyle Anderson and Andrew Wiggins, have meshed with their new teammates. “They’ve fit in very well because they want to make it work,” Spoelstra said, per Chiang. “They’re winning players, winning personalities. They each bring something a little bit different, which are things that we needed. “Davion has that defensive presence and his toughness and his passion. We love the passion that he brings to the game. Wiggs is just a very good basketball player. The things that he does lead to winning because he plays both sides of the floor. He takes pride in doing that and doing it at a high level. And then Kyle, it just takes awhile to get accustomed to how he plays.”
- Jalen Johnson couldn’t help the Hawks during the second half of the season after suffering a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He hopes to be at full strength by next season’s opener. “That’s probably the worst feeling in the world, just not being able to be out there and go out to war with my guys,” Johnson told Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “It sucks, but sometimes you can’t control those things, and all I can do now is just do everything in my power for next year and play the whole season. That’s my goal, and I’m gonna do everything I can so I can be out there in those type of games with my teammates.”
- Paolo Banchero racked up 36 points on Sunday but it wasn’t enough in a 103-86 loss to Boston in Game 1 of the Magic’s first-round series. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were held to a combined 33 points but Derrick White poured in 30 and Payton Pritchard tossed in 19. “That’s something that we as a team harped on coming in that they do have two main guys but it’s really the other guys that kill you,” Banchero said, per Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). “I just think we have to do a better job getting those guys off the line because they really kill you from 3.”
Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart Undergoes Imaging On Leg
7:25pm: Stewart is listed as questionable for Game 2 on Monday with right knee inflammation, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.
2:59pm: After exiting in the fourth quarter of an eventual Game 1 defeat to New York, Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart had imaging conducted on his right leg, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
As Begley notes, Stewart had been struggling through the injury for much of the matinee contest.
The 6’8″ big man, one of Detroit’s toughest frontcourt bench options, adjusted to a reduced role under new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff this season.
Stewart had been a consistent starter throughout each of his last three seasons with lottery-bound Detroit squads. This year, en route to the team’s first playoff appearance since 2019, the Washington alum averaged 6.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.7 APG and 1.4 BPG a night.
In his first playoff game ever, the aforementioned 123-112 New York win in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Stewart registered two points, five rebounds, two blocks, and one assist across 19 minutes of action. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, he was the only Piston who had a positive plus/minus rating (+8).
The second matchup, slated for Monday, will be another road tilt for Stewart and the Pistons.