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40 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED Sometimes, it's about money. Sometimes, it's about fame. Sometimes, it's about escape. Sometimes, it's about ego. Each big-time college basketball player with NBA aspirations has different mo- tivations. Isaac Haas' drive is unique. It's all about Erin. "He was 4 when she was born, and he was so excited. He's always been sort of a mother hen," mom Rachel Haas said. "That's just his nature, I guess. So he was super excited about her, and then it changed his life when we realized she was not well. It did sort of create a unique bond between them." Erin was diagnosed with epilepsy, a disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures, when she was 3 months old. Now soon-to-be 17 and a sophomore at Hokes Bluff High School in Alabama, Erin functions but will never be indepen- dent, Rachel Haas said. There's no telling when Erin could have a seizure, though she has one every morning waking up. They can be sparked by sudden noise or if Erin is startled, which is why the Haas household keeps the radio or the TV on constantly to try to mute sharp noises. Still, the house is so quiet it's "like a tomb," Rachel Haas said. As a kid the seizures were so severe, Erin busted her lips, chin, broke bones. Her face often was covered in bruises. But medication and four brain surgeries have helped lessen both the frequency and severity, especially the most recent surgery about four years ago. In that one, Erin had a portion of her brain about the size of a roll of quarters removed. She also has a permanent nerve stimulator that sends shockwaves up the vagus nerve to the brain every 16 seconds to help interrupt seizure activity. It's all simply part of Erin's life, the unpredictability of the episodes, the fre- quent hospital visits, the occasional experimental drug trials. But so is school. So are friends. So are dedicated parents who work multiple jobs. And so is a big brother whose love overflows, who calls his 'lil sis his best friend, who is quick to respond to her texts and answer calls, who fiercely praises her fight, lest anyone feel sorry for her, and vehemently protects her reputation. Isaac knows some days are a struggle for Erin. Some days she'll call him crying or will text to say she had another seizure. It's tough on him because he'd gotten accustomed to being there — physically — for her. But for the last two-plus years, he's been 560 miles away. Sometimes she wears his clothes, which obviously en- gulf her, to feel closer to him. He tries to work through bad days when he misses her, misses not being there to help. He can turn to basketball then, using his frustration to fuel work. Isaac could have tested the pro waters last spring as teammates Caleb Swan- A Special Bond ference play in which he was 20-of-26 and totaled 22 rebounds. Mostly, Haas' ability to control games has shown up in the ones he's played more minutes. Not that there's a large sample size. He has played at least 20 minutes in only 11 games, but in those games, he averaged 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and shot 64 percent from the field. Those are all better than his career av- erages. But even Haas is not sure what him being dominant looks like, saying he's still trying to discover that. He does have an idea, though, of what it could be. "I guess the thing is just being able to capture the eyes and the minds of the people who are watch- ing the game. That would be dominant in my as- pect," he said. "You look at guys like Shaq, you watched him the whole game. You watched him the whole game. I want to hope to be that. But, still, not as just me. I'm a part of Purdue. I just want Purdue to win because we all look good if we win. That's my mindset for success this year." j