Note: To look back on summer workouts and ahead to fall practice, GoldandBlack.com is taking a player-by-play look at the Purdue basketball team's 10 scholarship players this week. We're going in alphabetical order. Up: Isaac Haas
Immediate impression from summer workouts we saw: Isaac Haas is as big as advertised, more mobile and athletic than you'd think and would seem to be as rock solid a presence off the floor as he is on it.
People around the program love Haas' work ethic, effort, personality, etc. As a player, with that sort of size, it would be difficult to not impact games positively in some way, shape or form. For one thing, he immediately makes Purdue a more physical team around the basket.
This upcoming season's Purdue team, in a lot of ways, will only go as far as A.J. Hammons can take it and so Haas would seem destined for a backup role this season, which might not be a bad thing at all. It's going to take some time for Haas to acclimate to playing at the speed of the Big Ten level, against players that are much closer to his physical peers than he saw in high school.
It does stand to reason to suggest that playing against traditional posts may actually help Haas after he spent his prep career being ganged up on and abused, literally, by opponents that peaked at his chest. But the game is going to move much faster at this level. It might be a good situation for Haas to be able to ease in to some extent.
Hammons will make him better in practice, and vice versa. We've written about this ad nauseum now, but Haas' physical dimensions and effort level will put Hammons against a presence more formidable than he's probably ever seen and Hammons will put Haas up against a legitimate next-level post player every day. The consummate win-win situation.
As for game days, on paper it would seem like Haas will not have to play a leading role right away, though the notoriety he's come to Purdue with and the sheer curiosity factor will make fans eager as hell to see him.
Last year, the Boilermakers played differently with Hammons off the floor, sometimes operating a little smoother even, part of that being the product of some of the personalities last year not necessarily jibing with Purdue's post emphasis.
Haas theoretically gives Purdue a chance to not change much at either end of the floor when Hammons is out. Not sure what to expect from him right away on offense, but he'll be a guy Purdue can look to inside, someone a defense is going to have to respect. On defense, if Hammons is out, Purdue will have a similar presence patrolling the lane. Hammons' struggles on defense have been part alertness but also fundamental ones in defending screen action on the outside. Won't be easy for Haas either.
Hammons is going to start every game for Purdue this year, provided he's healthy. If he doesn't, the last of Purdue's issues will be who's starting instead of him. I doubt much of anything comes from suggestions of a periodic "freak-show" lineup that would put both 7-footers alongside each other. Just doesn't seem viable or a good fit for Hammons to move out of the 5 position.
Haas might not have to be fast-tracked to a leading role immediately, but he'll have chances to impact the Boilermaker team one way or another, whether it's in reserve minutes or on the practice floor.
And he'll impact Purdue for the better with his attitude, work ethic and apparent toughness, intangibles the Boilermaker program as a whole is hoping this freshman class can help enhance.
Immediate impression from summer workouts we saw: Isaac Haas is as big as advertised, more mobile and athletic than you'd think and would seem to be as rock solid a presence off the floor as he is on it.
People around the program love Haas' work ethic, effort, personality, etc. As a player, with that sort of size, it would be difficult to not impact games positively in some way, shape or form. For one thing, he immediately makes Purdue a more physical team around the basket.
This upcoming season's Purdue team, in a lot of ways, will only go as far as A.J. Hammons can take it and so Haas would seem destined for a backup role this season, which might not be a bad thing at all. It's going to take some time for Haas to acclimate to playing at the speed of the Big Ten level, against players that are much closer to his physical peers than he saw in high school.
It does stand to reason to suggest that playing against traditional posts may actually help Haas after he spent his prep career being ganged up on and abused, literally, by opponents that peaked at his chest. But the game is going to move much faster at this level. It might be a good situation for Haas to be able to ease in to some extent.
Hammons will make him better in practice, and vice versa. We've written about this ad nauseum now, but Haas' physical dimensions and effort level will put Hammons against a presence more formidable than he's probably ever seen and Hammons will put Haas up against a legitimate next-level post player every day. The consummate win-win situation.
As for game days, on paper it would seem like Haas will not have to play a leading role right away, though the notoriety he's come to Purdue with and the sheer curiosity factor will make fans eager as hell to see him.
Last year, the Boilermakers played differently with Hammons off the floor, sometimes operating a little smoother even, part of that being the product of some of the personalities last year not necessarily jibing with Purdue's post emphasis.
Haas theoretically gives Purdue a chance to not change much at either end of the floor when Hammons is out. Not sure what to expect from him right away on offense, but he'll be a guy Purdue can look to inside, someone a defense is going to have to respect. On defense, if Hammons is out, Purdue will have a similar presence patrolling the lane. Hammons' struggles on defense have been part alertness but also fundamental ones in defending screen action on the outside. Won't be easy for Haas either.
Hammons is going to start every game for Purdue this year, provided he's healthy. If he doesn't, the last of Purdue's issues will be who's starting instead of him. I doubt much of anything comes from suggestions of a periodic "freak-show" lineup that would put both 7-footers alongside each other. Just doesn't seem viable or a good fit for Hammons to move out of the 5 position.
Haas might not have to be fast-tracked to a leading role immediately, but he'll have chances to impact the Boilermaker team one way or another, whether it's in reserve minutes or on the practice floor.
And he'll impact Purdue for the better with his attitude, work ethic and apparent toughness, intangibles the Boilermaker program as a whole is hoping this freshman class can help enhance.
