Isaiah Stewart may be the exact opposite of a square peg in a round hole with his fit on the Memphis Grizzlies.
His identity, role and impact all point toward a player who should fit seamlessly into this era of Grizzlies basketball after being acquired in an offseason trade with the Detroit Pistons.
In Detroit, Stewart built a reputation as a hard-nosed, gritty and defensive-minded player who protected his teammates and the rim.Those same attributes are a big reason why Stewart’s transition to Memphis is expected to be smooth.
Players with a similar makeup have long been appreciated in Memphis.
“Just having that chip on your shoulder, blue-collar city and just grit, grind and going to work,” Stewart said Sept. 12. “That fits who I am, and I think
I can flow right into that area.”
Teammates learning fast
It hasn’t taken Stewart’s teammates long to figure out what kind of presence he can be.
Some Grizzlies players have already organized workouts together, giving him an early opportunity to build chemistry with them.
Jaylen Wells is among those who has already gotten a sense of what Stewart can bring. He described the 6-foot-8 center as “definitely a presence.”
That is something Stewart can probably explain better than anyone.
“It’s just setting the tone,” he said. “The kind of tone I play with. Switch that flip on when it’s time to go and ride behind the city and that name in front of the jersey. That’s what I look forward to here this season.”
Keeping tradition alive
Just as Stewart is known for his gritty style, so are the Grizzlies.
That mentality was largely established during the Core Four era of Mike Conley Jr., Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.
Those four led Memphis during what became known as the Grit 'n' Grind era — a time when the Grizzlies suffocated opponents with stifling defense and routinely turned games into offensive struggles for opposing teams.
Three of the four aforementioned players have their jerseys hanging inside FedExForum. Conley’s isn’t there yet because he remains an active player.
Randolph and Allen remain closely tied to the organization, often participating in community events and staying involved with the team. Stewart is no stranger to the history of Grit 'n' Grind. In fact, he already has connected with them.
“You mention the Grit 'n' Grind, ain’t nothing sexy about it,” Stewart said. “You get it out the mud, you build days brick by brick, and I think that’ll wear on teams. Teams don’t like to go against that every single night. I think that’s the culture we should be leaning toward building here.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: How Grizzlies' Isaiah Stewart is embracing Grit 'n' Grind culture
