Pascal Siakam is a Cameroonian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
He was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft.
Siakam played college basketball for New Mexico State University and was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2016.
He began his professional career with the Raptors, where he won an NBA championship in 2019 and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
Siakam also earned All-NBA Second Team honors and started his first NBA All-Star Game in 2020.
Siblings
Siakam has three brothers, namely Boris, Christian and James. His brothers are also basketball players and have played college basketball in the United States.
Boris played at Western Kentucky, Christian at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and James at Vanderbilt.
College career
Siakam played college basketball for New Mexico State University from 2013 to 2016.
He redshirted the 2013-14 season due to injury but then worked his way into the starting lineup, earning Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Freshman of the Year honors in 2014-15.
In his sophomore season in 2015-16, Siakam had a breakout year, averaging 20.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
He was named the WAC Player of the Year and declared for the NBA draft after the season.
Over his two-year college career, Siakam averaged 20.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 55.1% from the field.
He helped lead New Mexico State to the NCAA Tournament in 2015 and 2016.
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Senior career
Siakam’s NBA career began in 2016 when he was drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the 27th overall pick in the first round.
He started his rookie season as a power forward, playing in 55 games and averaging 4.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
In his second season, Siakam cemented himself as a productive bench contributor, averaging 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
He continued to improve throughout his career, earning his first NBA All-Star selection in 2020 and his second in 2023.
In 2023, Siakam also earned All-NBA Second Team honors. He won an NBA championship with the Raptors in 2019 and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
He played for the Raptors from 2016 to 2024 before joining the Indiana Pacers in 2024.
Personal life
Siakam and Biana Andreescu were in a romantic relationship in 2019.
Andreescu is a Canadian professional tennis player who has achieved significant success in her career, including winning the 2019 US Open and the 2019 Canadian Open.
She is known for her impressive skills on the court and her strong mental toughness, which has earned her a reputation as one of the top players in the world.
Siakam and Andreescu’s relationship was relatively short-lived, but it garnered significant attention from the media and fans due to their high-profile careers.
Despite the brevity of their relationship, the couple was often seen together at public events and on social media, showcasing their affection and support for each other.
After their breakup, both Siakam and Andreescu have continued to focus on their respective careers, with Siakam playing for the Toronto Raptors and Andreescu competing in professional tennis tournaments.
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