Like so many kids growing up in Brooklyn, Adisa Isaac calls basketball his “first love.”

It’s easy to understand why. Not only were all of his friends playing after school and in summer leagues, but he had the ideal frame, surpassing the 6-foot mark by the time he started middle school.

That didn’t keep him from trying other sports; Isaac played soccer and lacrosse at about the same age. But basketball was the one in which he excelled. As he got older, though, he noticed a few friends playing football in the fall. Isaac wanted to give it a try, but with his mother, Lisa, raising four children on her own, she didn’t have the time for Adisa to take on another sport.

“My mother was always so busy that she never really had the time to sign me up,” Isaac said, “so I had to wait until high school to try football for the first time.”

Not only is Adisa one of four children, but two of his siblings, brother Y’ashua, who is 18, and sister Tadj, 14, were born with autism. Another brother, Kyle Wiltshire, 28, was born with the umbilical cord around his neck, impacting his development.

The need to help with his siblings forced Isaac to grow up quickly, but Lisa also made sure that her son was still able to enjoy his childhood and teenage years. So, when he came home one day asking if he could join the high school team at Canarsie his freshman year, she gave her approval.

Just like on the hardwood, it didn’t take Isaac long to make an impact. By his sophomore season, he was a varsity starter, recording five sacks in 12 games. He upped that total to eight in nine games his junior season, which not only earned him Big 44 Defensive Player of the Year honors, but also grabbed the attention of top programs across the country. By the end of April 2018, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Texas A&M and many others had all extended offers.

Penn State had also offered during that time period. And one factor that worked in the Nittany Lions’ favor was that they were close enough that Isaac was able to take multiple unofficial visits before the official visit period opened in April. Once he was able to use official visits, he did see Texas A&M, only to return to Penn State for two more unofficial visits in June and July. By then, it was clear that the Nittany Lions were the team to beat.

“Their coaches just stood out to me early on,” said Isaac. “It was always very easy to talk with [them]....I just felt comfortable with all of them.”

Except for an official visit to Penn State in late September, Isaac put his travel itinerary on hold during his senior season. It was a good decision, as he enjoyed one of the best seasons by a defensive lineman in the history of New York’s Public School Athletic League, recording 77 tackles, including 34 for a loss of yards and 22 sacks. The Lions still sat in a good position by the end of his season, but Miami had also sparked his interest following an official visit to Coral Gables at the end of November.

“I thought about Miami a lot late in my recruitment, but I also thought a lot about how much closer Penn State is to home,” Isaac said. “I know my mom would never tell me not to go far from home. She wants me to go wherever I feel most comfortable. I felt good about both schools, but when I thought about my family more and everything my mother has done for us, I just didn’t want to go far. I want to be there if she needs me and if I need her.”

Isaac committed to Penn State on Dec. 17 and signed with the Lions two days later. He was one of 11 scholarship players in the 2019 class to enroll earlier this year. Most of those early enrollees are mature beyond their years, but there aren’t many that come close to Isaac.

That’s why his former coach, Brian Ellis, believes that the Lions got “a special person.”

“When you look at his family situation, I think that’s a big reason why Adisa has had the success he’s had,” Ellis said. “He was forced to grow up early to help his mother. He’s wise beyond his years, and you see that on the field and in the locker room, too. He doesn’t get frustrated and always leads by example. I think he can accomplish anything he puts his mind to.”