Per multiple accounts, the incident was said to have caused minor damage, including Eubanks bleeding around the mouth area. Afterwards, Phoenix detectives responded and arrested Stewart for assault. He was issued a citation and released.
“Words were said, I got sucker-punched, and security intervened,” Eubanks told Gerald Bourget, lead Phoenix Suns writer for PHNX Sports. Eubanks said the situation happened as soon as he arrived at the arena for Wednesday’s game.
The attack on Drew Eubanks was unprovoked, and acts of violence such as this are unacceptable. We unequivocally support Drew, and will continue to work with local law enforcement and the NBA,” the Suns released in a statement.
“We are aware of the incident between Isaiah Stewart and Drew Eubanks prior to this evening’s game. We are in the process of gathering information about what happened and what provoked it, and responding to the NBA and local authorities,” the Pistons released in a follow up statement several hours later.
Stewart, who was set to miss his eighth straight game with a lower leg injury that day, last suited up for Detroit on January 28 in a 120-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Stewart finished the game with 11 points and 1 rebound in roughly 25 minutes of action. This season with the Pistons, he’s averaging 11 points and 6.8 rebounds.
The NBA has yet to announce its findings regarding the altercation involving Detroit Pistons center/forward Isaiah Stewart and Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks. However, that hasn’t stopped a Phoenix court from moving forward.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, The Phoenix Municipal Court has set a court date for Stewart on Feb. 23 on a misdemeanor assault charge, as reported by the Phoenix Police Department. A few hours before the Pistons-Suns tip-off last Wednesday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, where the Suns play their home games, Stewart and Eubanks had a confrontation in the back tunnels of the arena that resulted in Stewart punching Eubanks.
