One of the worst kept secrets in the Washington Huskies athletic department became public Wednesday when Freshman sensation Isaiah Steward declared for the NBA draft. Given the phenomenal year, Stewart had there was no inclination the announcement was an April Fools jokes. Stewart had one of the best seasons in Husky history.
The shoulder chiseled Stewart was voted to the All-Pac-12 first team, set the UW freshman record for blocks (66) and rebounds (281). Stewart finished the season leading the team with 17.0 points per game and 8.8 rebounds. He reached double-figure scoring in 30 games, with nine of those being 20-point efforts. He finished the season with a career-high 29 points against Arizona. Additionally, he posted five 20-point/10-rebound efforts and 14 double-doubles which was second-most by a Pac-12 player this year.
The Huskies had a surprisingly disappointing but that did not stop Stewart from being a leader on and off the court.
Coach Hopkins Statement on Isaiah Stewart declaring for NBA Draft
“Isaiah exemplifies everything you want from a student athlete. He wears his heart on his sleeve, in the way he plays, how he interacts with the community, our fans and everyone he comes into contact with. As a coach, you want to see your players dreams come true. His dream of playing in the NBA is becoming a reality. I’m so proud of him. He is a special kid and I was honored to coach him. He’ll be a part of the Husky family forever.”
Stewart is projected as the No. 21 overall selection, which would belong to Dallas, according to NBAdraft.net. Meanwhile, ESPN has him slotted at No. 26 in its ranking of prospects.
