Boston Celtics Draft: NBA player comparisons for 2 C’s targets
By Mark Nilon
Boston Celtics Draft Prospect: Isaiah Stewart, PF/ C
Throughout his first season with the Washington Huskies, Isaiah Stewart proved to be, not just one of the best freshmen bigs in 2019-20 but, frankly, one of the best bigs at the collegiate level overall.
Playing in 32 games — all starts — the 19-year-old posted impressive averages of 17 points, 8.8 boards and 2.1 blocks per game on 57 percent shooting from the field. Showcasing an impressive combination of strength in the post, on the boards, and on defense, as well as an underrated fallaway jumper from within five to eight feet from the rim, the 6-8 Stewart notched himself a spot on the First-Team All-Pac-12 and, in turn, morphed himself into a first-round draft prospect.
Though lacking a 3-point stroke (25 percent shooting from downtown), Stewart has found a way to make up for this by physically dominating down low and sacrificing his body to do the little things — á la Marcus Smart — that don’t often tend to appear on the stat sheet: hustling on both ends of the court, diving on the floor for loose balls, etc.
Though the NBA of today is predicated on floor spacing and high octane 3-point shooting, a player of Isaiah Stewart’s skill-set can still thrive in the league today, and there is one current player in particular who could convince the Boston Celtics to take a chance on the young big:
NBA Player Comparison — Montrezl Harrell
Currently filling the role of prominent reserve for the title-contending Los Angeles Clippers, Montrezl Harrell has made a name for himself as the scrappy, defensive-minded backup center who can step in at any given time and make an impact for his squad.
Seeing his best statistical averages since coming into the league in 2015, the 26-year-old big is averaging an impressive 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds,1.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game on 58 percent shooting from the field.
Having a guy like this on Boston’s lackluster bench would be a huge upgrade for Beantown. Isaiah Stewart has proven to have a similar skill-set. Perhaps with a bit of development and honing of said skills, he could fill such a role for the team at some point down the line.