Upstate New York Native Arrested Before Playing an NBA Game, Here’s Why

Isaiah Stewart is in hot water after an altercation before an NBA game in Phoenix.

The 22-year old, who is a native of Rochester, NY, was arrested on Wednesday night after getting into a fight with an opposing player. Stewart was issued a citation and released, according to New York Upstate, but did not play in the game due to an injury suffered prior to that night.

It was a bizarre, unsettling situation, and here's what happened.

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Why Isaiah Stewart Was Arrested Before a Pistons-Suns Game in Phoenix

According to reports, the altercation in question happened in the hours before Detroit's game against Phoenix on Wednesday night. The incident happened in the tunnels of the Suns' arena, and began around the time when Phoenix player Drew Eubanks was entering the arena that day.

The two players got into an argument and were chest-to-chest with one another, before Stewart swung and hit Eubanks in the mouth. Stewart was later arrested for assault, according to the report.

Eubanks suffered minor injuries from the altercation, while Stewart was already dealing with a sprained ankle, which was already going to keep him out of Wednesday's game.

The Suns beat the Pistons that evening, 116-100.

Isaiah Stewart Has Connections to Central/Upstate New York

As mentioned above, Stewart was born and raised in Rochester. He played organized basketball for the first time at age 10, while in elementary school in the city. He played his freshman and sophomore years of high school basketball at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, before transferring to a school in Indiana.

He averaged 18.5 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game as a freshman. He also spent time with the renowned City Rocks program in Albany.

Despite being recruited by Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State and nearby Syracuse, Stewart chose to play college basketball at Washington. He spent one year with the Huskies, before being taken with the 16th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2020 NBA Draft.

He is currently in his fourth season with the team that drafted him, the Pistons.