What the experts say
ESPN [$] (Jonathan Givony): 26th
The Athletic [$] (Sam Vecenie): 19th
Sports Illustrated (Jeremy Woo): 25th
Sporting News (Chris Stone): 16th
Bleacher Report (Jonathan Wassermann): 25th
The Ringer (Kevin O’Connor): N/A
Quotes:
Having placed him 25th on his most recent Big Board, Woo outlined why while he’s far from a flashy or possessing modernized skills, Stewart’s work ethic and production are good indications that he may be a solid role player above all else:
"“There’s nothing overly flashy about Stewart’s game, as a throwback, high-energy rebounder who’s lauded for his work ethic and leadership. Despite not being a mobile, modern center, he remains a likely first-round pick on the strength of that profile — as a grease man who understands exactly what he is. Stewart is long, hefty and competitive, but also struggles to finish plays and get off clean looks against guys who can counter his size. The upside here isn’t immense, but there’s still value in having a workmanlike guy like Stewart on the roster. Where he’s drafted will depend on positional need, but he might be able to give a team workable minutes right away. As his body type and skill set continues to develop, Stewart is a good bet to keep improving.”"
The Rookie Wire’s Bryan Kalbrosky pointed to the questions over how much of Stewart’s productivity in college will be translatable in the NBA after ranking him 28th on his most recent Top-100 Big Board:
"“Isaiah Stewart averaged 17.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game this season for the Huskies. Almost exactly half of his offensive possessions were post-ups against smaller defenders, which will not translate when considering that the 6-foot-9 Stewart will be undersized for his position in the NBA. However, the big man showed more range as a shooter when he was in high school and may have been limited by his system at Washington.”"