From being told by the NCAA he was ineligible to play in October, 2016, to becoming a starter for the Golden Grizzlies within couple of months, Isaiah Brock has come a long way.

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Oakland Men’s Basketball Head Coach Greg Kampe met him in Kuwait playing basketball in the Troops First Foundation program during summer, 2015. He had been serving in the U.S. Army since 2011.

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Kampe, amazed by Brock’s story and his interest in basketball, thought he would be a great addition to the team. Brock's experience and personality was something Kampe wanted his team to be surrounded by.

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The men’s basketball team, in its 50th season, added Brock as a forward position.

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Predicting the possibilities

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Before the season began, Kampe told the press during Media Day about what comes next with Brock since Oakland successfully appealed to have NCAA declare him eligible to play.

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“He’s gonna be a good player,” Kampe said. “He’s gonna probably play five to eight minutes this year and by the time he’s a junior, he’s gonna be a really good player.”

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On Monday, Nov. 7, Brock stepped onto the Blacktop and got his much anticipated game time. He played for five minutes that night with one point scored off of a free throw. The Friday that same week, he played for another four minutes in the season opener at home against Bowling Green State University.

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“He’s got raw athleticism,” Kampe said. “He struggles offensively, but he jumps like a NBA player. He jumps the second time quickly. He’s got long arms. He blocks shots. He’s gonna help us.”

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Kampe predicted correctly. In fact, Brock has started to prove his worth early. His minutes and points started to increase after each game. On Nov. 18 at the game against Goshen college, he collected a career-high 12 points, his first time scoring in double digits.

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Where he was expected to play only “five to eight minutes” through the whole season, he ended up playing in every game so far. He played 33 minutes against Nevada in the Great Alaska Shootout on Thanksgiving Day, his longest time on the court.

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Superfan’s support

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The Golden Grizzlies fans have also been excited to see Brock join the team. Oakland alum and longtime fan of the basketball program, Anthony Gallina attends every home game to watch Team 50 play.

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“Brock has been a very exciting addition to the Golden Grizzly family,” Gallina said. “His service to this country is remarkable and appreciated. Now that he has moved into a new journey in his life, it has been wonderful to see Isaiah become a hardworking and dedicated college student. While it has been thrilling to watch him on the court, it is even more exciting to see that he is being able to earn a college education from this great institution.”

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Gallina has watched the last 14 seasons and thinks this year’s team is “the most balanced, defense-minded and talented.”

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“Isaiah being cleared to play was great news for him and wonderful for Oakland University’s fans to have a chance to watch him play,” Gallina said. “It has been thrilling to see him playing more and more minutes and work his way into the starting role for the Golden Grizzlies. He has been playing great defense for the team. When he plays on the court, there is something special about how the atmosphere changes and the team plays.”

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From past to present

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In high school Brock was an athlete involved in basketball, football, lacrosse and track. But according to him, he didn’t take basketball that seriously.

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“It wasn’t something I was actually determined to succeed in,” Brock said. “I was definitely more into lacrosse and track and field. I mean, it gave me a little bit of basketball experience of playing on a certain level.”

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He gives credit to the coaching staff for his improved performance through practice and the games.

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“Of course I give myself a little bit of credit, but it’s kind of them pushing me along, helping me out, teaching me the ropes that has helped me get comfortable on the floor during games,” Brock said.

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The coaching staff and his teammates helped him balance the academics and athletics through the semester. Brock plans to keep improving his performance in basketball and pursue a degree in Psychology.

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“This is a great group of guys,” Brock said. “It feels like I’ve been here for years. A lot of love come here. Now that I’m established here, I look at them as brothers and it’s like one big family.”

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Freshman forward/guard Chris Palombizio is one of Brock’s closest teammates. They are neighbors who met at Oakland during summer sessions.

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“I look at him as my best friend and somebody to look up to,” Palombizio said. “He’s a great person to talk to and I feel as if I can tell him anything. We first met over the summer and simply started making small talk and the rest is history. I look at him as not only a friend, but a brother and my family looks at him as part of the family as well.”

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Palombizio has also noticed Brock’s transition to Oakland and his improvements on and off the court.

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“Off the court, you will never meet a more honest person,” Palombizio said. “His on the court improvements are incredible. He’s learning so fast and already starting to be dominant as a freshman. I can’t even imagine how good he’s going to be in the following years. I’m excited to play with him for three more years.”