Pascal Siakam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pascal Siakam

Siakam with the Toronto Raptors in 2018
No. 43 – Indiana Pacers
Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1994-04-02) 2 April 1994 (age 31) Douala, Cameroon
High school	God's Academy (Lewisville, Texas)
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	245 lb (111 kg)
Career information
College	New Mexico State (2013–2016)
NBA Draft	2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 27th overall
Selected by the Toronto Raptors
Pro career	2016–present
League	NBA
Career history
2016–2024	Toronto Raptors
2017	→Raptors 905
2024–present	Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2019) 2× NBA All-Star (2020, 2023) All-NBA Second Team (2020) All-NBA Third Team (2022) NBA Most Improved Player (2019) NBA D-League champion (2017) NBA D-League Finals MVP (2017) AP Honorable mention All-American (2016) WAC Player of the Year (2016) WAC Freshman of the Year (2015)

Pascal Siakam (born 2 April 1994) is a professional basketball player from Cameroon. He plays for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Pascal is a two-time NBA All-Star and has been chosen for the All-NBA Team twice. He won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

Before joining the NBA, Siakam played college basketball for the New Mexico State Aggies. In 2016, he was named the Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Fans often call him "Spicy P". The Toronto Raptors picked him 27th overall in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft. Many people think he is one of the best African basketball players ever.

As a rookie in 2017, Siakam was sent to the NBA Development League (now called the G League). He helped Toronto's team win a league championship. He was even named the Finals Most Valuable Player. In 2019, he won the NBA Most Improved Player Award, becoming the first player to win an NBA title in the same season. The next year, Siakam helped Toronto get the second-best record in the league. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team and started in his first NBA All-Star Game. He was the first player to play in the G League and then start an All-Star game.

Early Life and Basketball Start

Pascal Siakam was born in Douala, Cameroon. He is the youngest of four brothers. His father, Tchamo, worked for a local company and was also the mayor of Makénéné. When he was 11, Pascal was sent to St. Andrew's Seminary to study. By age 15, he decided he did not want to become a Catholic priest.

At first, Pascal was not very interested in basketball. His older brothers, however, all earned scholarships to play basketball in college. Pascal was discovered at a local basketball camp by Luc Mbah a Moute. Pascal went to Mbah a Moute's camp in 2011 and 2012. Even though he had little basketball experience, people noticed his amazing athleticism and high energy. Masai Ujiri, who was at the camp, remembered his great effort.

With Mbah a Moute as his guide, Siakam moved to the United States when he was 18. He trained at different camps to improve his skills. He then settled in Lewisville, Texas, and went to God's Academy. Even though he wasn't well-known, New Mexico State University showed interest in him. Their coach, Marvin Menzies, had connections around the world and many international players on his team.

College Basketball Journey

Siakam started at New Mexico State University in 2013. He missed the 2013–14 season because of an injury. But he worked hard and earned a spot in the Aggies' starting lineup. In the 2014–15 season, he was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Freshman of the Year.

For the 2015–16 season, he played 34 games. He averaged 20.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. He was named the WAC Player of the Year. On April 19, 2016, Siakam decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he would not play his last two years of college basketball.

Professional Career Highlights

Toronto Raptors (2016–2024)

Becoming a Champion and MVP

On June 23, 2016, the Toronto Raptors picked Siakam 27th in the NBA draft. He signed his first contract with them on July 9. On October 26, he became the first rookie since 2012 to start for the Raptors on opening night. He grabbed 9 rebounds and scored 4 points in his first NBA game. This was also the first NBA game he had ever seen in person!

During his first season, Siakam started 38 games as a power forward. From February to April 2017, he also played for the Raptors 905, Toronto's team in the G-League. He helped them win a championship. Siakam averaged 23 points and 9 rebounds in the finals. He was named the G-League Finals MVP.

Getting Better Each Season

In his second NBA year (2017–18), Siakam became a key player off the bench for Toronto. He scored a career-high 20 points against the Golden State Warriors in October 2017. His stats improved a lot. People started comparing him to Warriors' star Draymond Green. This was because he could guard many different positions and had a great understanding of the game.

NBA Champion and Most Improved Player

Siakam getting ready for a jump ball during the 2019 NBA Finals

The 2018–19 season was a huge year for Siakam. He became a strong player on both offense and defense. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. His three-point shooting also got much better. He scored a new career-high of 44 points against the Washington Wizards in February 2019.

In the 2019 playoffs, Siakam was amazing. He scored 30 points and 11 rebounds in a win against the Orlando Magic. In the NBA Finals, he scored a playoff career-high 32 points in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors. In Game 6, Siakam scored 26 points and 10 rebounds. He hit the shot that helped the Raptors win their first-ever NBA championship! Later that month, Siakam was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for the season. In October 2019, he signed a big contract extension with Toronto.

First All-Star and All-NBA Appearances

Siakam started the 2019–20 season strong, scoring 34 points and grabbing 18 rebounds in the first game. He set a new career-high with 44 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in November. In January 2020, Siakam was chosen to start in his first All-Star Game. He was the first player who had played in the G-League to become an All-Star starter. In September, Siakam was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

Continued Growth and Triple-Doubles

The 2020–21 season saw Siakam continue to develop his game. He scored a season-high 32 points multiple times. On January 11, he got his first career triple-double with 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. He later tied his career-high with 44 points in May.

In the 2021–22 season, Siakam kept improving. He had a season-high 19 rebounds in December 2021. He also tied his career-best with 12 assists in January 2022. Siakam was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week in February. He set a new season-high of 40 points in March. In April, he recorded his third career triple-double with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. Fans even chanted "MVP" for him! He finished the season with career highs in rebounds, assists, and steals.

In the 2022 playoffs, Siakam had a playoff career-high of 34 points in Game 4. He helped the Raptors push their series to six games after being down 0–3. In May, Siakam was named to the All-NBA Third Team. This was his second All-NBA selection, tying him with Vince Carter and DeMar DeRozan for the most in Raptors history.

Second All-Star Selection

The 2022–23 season was another great one for Siakam. He recorded his fourth career triple-double in October 2022. He also tied his career high with 13 assists. In December, Siakam scored a career-high 52 points against the New York Knicks. This was one of the highest scores ever by a Raptors player. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week again. In February 2023, Siakam was named an All-Star for the second time, replacing an injured player. He finished the season with career highs in points (24.2) and assists (5.8) per game.

Indiana Pacers (2024–present)

Eastern Conference Finals Appearance

On January 17, 2024, Siakam was traded to the Indiana Pacers. He made his Pacers debut two days later, scoring 21 points. On January 25, he recorded his sixth career triple-double.

In the 2024 playoffs, Siakam had a playoff career-high of 36 points in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks. In Game 2, he scored 37 points. The Pacers beat the Knicks in 7 games to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. This was the first time the Pacers had reached the Conference Finals since 2014. The Pacers eventually lost to the eventual NBA champion Celtics.

In July 2024, Siakam signed a new four-year contract with the Pacers.

Player Profile

When Pascal Siakam first joined the NBA, he was still learning. But over the years, he has become a top player who can play both offense and defense. He can also help set up plays for his teammates. Siakam is known as one of the most flexible players in the NBA.

During the 2021–22 season, Siakam even played as a center and point guard. This showed he could understand the game well and make smart passes. He is also considered one of the best defenders in the NBA. He can guard players from almost any position on the court. He is good at blocking shots near the basket and defending players on the outside. Siakam is also known for being one of the best players in the league when running fast breaks.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2016–17	Toronto	55	38	15.6	.502	.143	.688	3.4	.3	.5	.8	4.2
2017–18	Toronto	81	5	20.7	.508	.220	.621	4.5	2.0	.8	.5	7.3
2018–19	Toronto	80	79	31.8	.549	.369	.785	6.9	3.1	.9	.7	16.9
2019–20	Toronto	60	60	35.2	.453	.359	.792	7.3	3.5	1.0	.9	22.9
2020–21	Toronto	56	56	35.8	.455	.297	.827	7.2	4.5	1.1	.7	21.4
2021–22	Toronto	68	68	37.9*	.494	.344	.749	8.5	5.3	1.3	.6	22.8
2022–23	Toronto	71	71	37.4*	.480	.324	.774	7.8	5.8	.9	.5	24.2
2023–24	Toronto	39	39	34.7	.522	.317	.758	6.3	4.9	.8	.3	22.2
Indiana	41	41	31.8	.549	.386	.699	7.8	3.7	.8	.4	21.3
Career		551	457	31.0	.496	.330	.766	6.6	3.6	.9	.6	17.7
All-Star		2	1	16.3	.722	.000	.500	6.5	2.0	.5	.0	13.5

Play-in

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2017	Toronto	2	0	5.0	.000	—	—	1.5	.5	.5	.0	.0
2018	Toronto	10	0	17.9	.610	.750	.650	3.6	.8	.1	.6	6.6
2019	Toronto	24*	24*	37.1	.470	.279	.759	7.1	2.8	1.0	.7	19.0
2020	Toronto	11	11	38.0	.396	.189	.717	7.5	3.8	1.1	.4	17.0
2022	Toronto	6	6	43.4	.477	.235	.861	7.2	5.8	1.2	1.0	22.8
2024	Indiana	17	17	35.4	.541	.298	.619	7.5	3.8	.8	.4	21.6
Career		70	58	33.7	.483	.267	.722	6.6	3.1	.8	.6	17.3

College

Personal Life

Pascal Siakam's parents are Tchamo and Victorie Siakam. His father, Tchamo, was the former mayor of Makénéné, Cameroon. Sadly, his father died in a car crash in October 2014. Pascal could not attend the funeral because he was waiting for a new US visa.

Pascal has three older brothers: Boris, Christian, and James. All of them played NCAA Division I basketball in the United States. Boris played at Western Kentucky, Christian at IUPUI, and James at Vanderbilt. Pascal is known by his nickname "Spicy P".

Cool Partnerships

On February 14, 2023, Siakam teamed up with McDonald's Canada. They created a special McFlurry called the Siakam Swirl McFlurry. It was inspired by his famous spin move and the Raptors' team colors. It had vanilla soft serve, hot fudge, and crushed red Smarties. This special treat was only available in Canada.

Siakam also partnered with the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Together, they created the Pascal Siakam Scholarship. This scholarship helps students from Cameroon who want to study technology at UNB.

See also

In Spanish: Pascal Siakam para niños

• List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders