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‘BTPowerhouse 25’ - #17 Isaac Haas

BTPowerhouse’s staff counts down the best players in the Big Ten heading into the 2017-’18 season

By Justin Frommer
NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-Midwest Regional-Purdue vs Kansas
Purdue Center Isaac Haas
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

In the months leading up to the 2017-’18 college basketball season, BTPowerhouse will be releasing a new series called the 'BTPowerhouse 25,' which features the Top 25 players in the Big Ten as voted by members of the staff. All players set to be on Big Ten rosters for next season were eligible during the staff vote with their top selection receiving 25 points and their 25th and final selection receiving 1 point.

Today's edition will take a brief look at Isaac Haas of Purdue, who came in at #17 in the rankings. The Boilermakers hope that Haas will become the most dangerous force in the paint in the conference.

'BTPowerhouse 25' - #17 Isaac Haas:

  • Eligibility: Senior
  • Career Totals: 104 games, 1,678 minutes, 1,041 points, 442 rebounds, 45 assists
  • 2016-’17 Averages: 19.5 min, 12.6 pts, 5.0 rebs, 0.6 asts, 0.7 blks, 0.3 stls
  • Positional Role: Center

Over the past couple seasons, Purdue had established one of the most dominant inside combos in the nation with 6-9 Caleb Swanigan and seven-foot behemoth Isaac Haas. While playing together for the Boilermakers, Swanigan was the known superstar while Haas was thought of as the still developing player. With Swanigan moving on to the NBA, it is Haas’ turn to step into the spotlight as the main inside presence for Purdue.

Player Strengths:

Haas’ biggest strength is his body itself. Standing over seven feet, there are not many players in college basketball that can match up with him. In his first three years at Purdue, Haas has used his huge frame to move other players away from him to create his scoring chances.

He also uses his 7-foot-4 wingspan to be a strong rebounder, as he grabbed five boards a game last season. However, the best way that Haas uses his size is to get to the free throw line. Last season, he attempted the second most free throws on the Boilermakers with 173 total, almost five per game.

Areas For Improvement:

For Haas to become a true dominant force he will need to improve on his post moves.

According to DraftExpress, “Sometimes seemingly just throwing the ball at the rim instead of looking to use counter-moves against better defenders, Haas could stand to add a bit more variety to his post arsenal looking ahead to the next level.”

Against more polished post players, just using his strength will not be enough. He will have to become more of a finesse player, at times, and use better inside moves to create good looks at the basket. This is especially true given that Purdue will have to lean on him far more offensively this season.

Additionally, Haas’ foul trouble has always been an issue since arriving at Purdue. That is an area that he will need to work on for the Boilermakers. Last season, he only averaged 19 minutes per game because he could not stay on the court.

Being the only true center on the Purdue roster this season, the best way Haas can help the Boilermakers is staying in the game where he can continue to be the strong force he has been since arriving in West Lafayette.

Player Projection:

While playing second fiddle to Swanigan, Haas finished last season as an All Big Ten honorable mention. Now being the first option inside of the paint Haas is projected to improve his stat line across the board.

With a continued improving post game, Haas has the potential to become an All Big Ten first-teamer. However, I think the most likely finish for him will be an All Big Ten second-team finish. At 7-foot-2, Haas definitely has an NBA-type body. With a good senior year he could find his way into the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft.

‘BT Powerhouse 25’ Rankings:

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