Nathan Baird

nbaird@jconline.com

Iowa center Gabriel Olaseni took his seat at Big Ten Conference media day last week and began his first interview.

When asked about Purdue adding a second 7-foot player, the 6-10, 240-pound senior became the inquisitor.

"Where's he from?" "Seven-2, 300?" "What does he play like? Is he a back-to-the basket guy?"

Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky said he'd heard the Boilermakers now have a player larger than A.J. Hammons. But other Big Ten players were not yet familiar with Purdue freshman Isaac Haas, who at times this season will play alongside Hammons, a returning All-Big Ten Defensive Team selection.

Without even seeing the towering Haas for themselves, Olaseni and others recognized the challenge ahead — and relished it.

"That's always going to be a difficult guy to move around," Olaseni said when given Haas' specs. "I'm looking forward to it. I didn't know that, so I'm pumped up."

According to a SFGate.com article, there were 96 NCAA players standing 7 feet or taller last season. Purdue joins Oklahoma State (7-1 Anthony Allen, Jr., and 7-0 Mark Soucek) and Florida State (7-0 Kiel Turpin and 7-3 Boris Bojanovsky) are the only programs with two 7-footers this season.

But there's more to the process than planting two trees in the paint and watching them wreak havoc.

Opponents will counter with smaller but quicker lineups and play to the big men's weaknesses. As Olaseni pointed out, even as a "smaller" big man, he can use his agility and speed against bigger opponents.

Purdue coach Matt Painter recognized the potential offensive and rebounding benefits of putting Hammons and Haas on the floor together. But he thought that lineup left the Boilermakers vulnerable when playing man-to-man, so he began installing zone defense concepts over the summer.

As it turns out, the zone isn't just a safety net for the two 7-footers.

"It's like there's more defenders on the court because they're so big and they cover up the floor," said Purdue sophomore forward Basil Smotherman, who played on the opposing squad when Hammons and Haas were paired in last Saturday's scrimmage.

"You've got to know where they are at all times, because if not, they're going to be starting the fast break with their blocked shots. You've got to use your speed to get around them, ball-fake and make the right reads."

Hammons played only as a true center (or 5) last season, leading the Big Ten in blocked shots but struggling at times with foul trouble. Purdue senior guard Rapheal Davis said the zone option, plus Hammons' athleticism, will allow him to adapt to playing the 4.

When asked where he still needed to improve as a 4, Hammons said: "Just closing out and actually stopping the drives, in case they don't shoot. And guarding the wing, because if the ball is reversed, I have to jab at that man and still get back to this man if he cuts behind me. I've got to get used to that."

Painter said he expects opponents to utilize a zone against Purdue's two-bigs lineup in an effort to deny post feeds.

Davis, who despite standing just 6-5 often played the 4 last season, said that doesn't necessarily solve the problem. He discovered as much last Saturday when he was caught guarding the middle of the zone against Hammons and Haas during the Boilermakers' first scrimmage.

"You just pick your poison," Davis said. "Either you pressure A.J. at the top of the key and he dumps down to Isaac, or you don't pressure A.J. at the top of the key and guard Isaac, and A.J. just knocks a jump shot down.

"You pick how you want to get beat, basically."

Don't expect the rest of the Big Ten to take that defeatist attitude. Illinois center Nnanna Egwu flinched a bit when told Haas almost makes Hammons look small. But then the 6-11, 250-pound senior quickly processed what that means for rebounding — and how that's not just a problem for post players.

"When you play Purdue you've got to make sure you match their physicality," Egwu said. "When you match up with two 7-foot guys, it's about being physical and having your guards help. You can't just rely on the bigs to help guard those guys."

The Hammons-Haas combo is just one of a myriad of post looks the Boilermakers can use in 2014-15. Either one can also play a traditional center spot, with a slasher like Davis, a smaller center like 6-9 freshman Jacquil Taylor or an athletic power forward like Smotherman at the 4.

Purdue feels it can play with a lot of balance and create mismatches. Three months from now, the Big Ten will try to counter.

"That's the cool thing about the Big Ten," said Kaminsky, the preseason pick for Big Ten Player of the Year. "It can vary game to game the type of player you're going to play against. It's always fun to prepare for different people."