Isaiah Stewart didn’t wait long to show why Memphis wanted him.
At his first Grizzlies media day, the new big man went straight to the phrase that still means something in Memphis: grit and grind.
“When you think of Memphis for me it's the grit and grind, and I thought I made a career off that,” Stewart said. “Whatever role was given to me, I try to be a star in that role and do anything I can to help the team win.”
That mindset is exactly what Memphis was chasing when it brought Stewart in from Detroit in June, sending three future second-round picks to the Pistons. General manager Zach Kleiman made Stewart a named example of the kind of player the Grizzlies wanted to add as they tried to sharpen their identity.
“Isaiah Stewart certainly fits that, someone that from an identity standpoint we really wanted to go out and bring in to set the right tone with this group,” Kleiman said.
The fit makes sense on paper and, if Stewart’s words are any indication, it makes sense in the room too. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound center put up 10 points, five rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 58 games last season, and he did it while regularly giving up size to the centers he was matched up against.
That has never been the issue with Stewart. His game has always been built on force, contact and a willingness to take the hits that come with it.
“You gotta have heart, and you gotta be okay with putting your body on the line,” Stewart said. “I try to protect the rim like my life depends on it.”
That edge has been part of his identity for years, from his five seasons in Detroit to the confrontation with LeBron James in 2021 that helped cement his reputation around the league. In Memphis, Stewart wants that same kind of bite to spread beyond himself.
“You never want to be known as a team, or someone, where they can just come in and roll over you,” Stewart said. “You gotta stand for something.
It's important to establish that toughness, that physicality. It wears on teams.”
The Grizzlies are hoping that edge helps define a new version of the team. Memphis finished 25-57 last season, and outside expectations remain low, but Stewart sees a roster that can make life miserable for opponents if it commits to the work.
“I feel like we can be a team that teams are not going to like playing against, and you can't really take us lightly,” Stewart said. “If we just put our best foot forward and do what we've been doing, I feel like we'll be just fine.”
He’s already getting a feel for the frontcourt around him, too. Stewart said he’s started building chemistry with Cam Boozer and Zach Edey, and when asked whether that pairing could grow into something resembling the old Zach Randolph-Marc Gasol tandem, he didn’t flinch.
“Oh, 100 percent,” Stewart said. “We have gotten a chance to get some work in together, iron sharpening iron.”
Stewart also said Kleiman spoke to him directly about the impact he had on Detroit’s culture, and Stewart wants that same kind of fit in Memphis. After spending the first half of his career in one rebuilding situation and seeing Detroit rise from the bottom of the East to the top of the standings last season, he believes Memphis can follow a similar path.
“It don't happen overnight,” Stewart said. “It's something that's got to be built up day by day, and it's a goal you've got to work towards. I feel like we have the right group to do that, and I'm looking forward to continuing the build.”
Memphis has spent years living off a reputation for physical basketball, and Stewart walked into town talking like someone eager to restore it. If the Grizzlies are serious about making toughness their calling card again, they found a player who sounds ready to carry the load.
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