LeBron James–Isaiah Stewart on-court altercation (Detroit)

During a Nov. 21, 2021 game in Detroit the Lakers' LeBron James and Pistons' Isaiah Stewart were involved in a physical altercation following a rebounding scramble; video and league reports indicate James struck Stewart in the face during the play, both were ejected, and the NBA later suspended James one game and Stewart two games for their roles in the incident [9]. The ejection sequence and subsequent league release were widely reported and are recorded in the NBA's official disciplinary communications from that time [9]. The exchange was notable nationally and contributed to Stewart's public reputation for involvement in intense on-court incidents, which the league later cited when evaluating subsequent conduct [9][1].

The 2021 James–Stewart confrontation is an antecedent in the narrative that led observers and league officials to treat Stewart's later actions as part of a pattern. When Stewart participated in the 2026 Pistons–Hornets melee and the NBA assigned a seven-game suspension, League Operations cited prior incidents including the 2021 suspension as a factor in determining penalty length [1][9]. The 2021 episode therefore functions as documented context rather than an isolated anecdote in Stewart's disciplinary record.

After the NBA's disciplinary decision following the 2021 game, both players served short suspensions (James one game, Stewart two) and the incident became a routinely cited example of on-court escalation in media coverage about player conduct. The event remained part of public records used by the league in later disciplinary reasoning [9][1].