Pascal Siakam
Position: Small Forward/Power Forward
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 230 pounds
Country: Cameroon
Team: Toronto Raptors
Siakam’s rise to one of the playoffs’ most unlikely stars began long before he was drafted in the first round by Toronto in 2016. He spent most of his childhood at his late father’s seminary in the town of Bafia and only occasionally playing basketball for fun. But years of impressive showings at NBA player and Cameroon native Luc Mbah a Moute’s basketball camp and the Basketball with Borders showcase landed Siakim a scholarship at a Texas Prep School. He would then earn a full ride to play hoops for New Mexico State, where he starred for two seasons before entering the NBA draft.
Now one of the league’s best underdog stories, Siakim is also changing the perception of African players. Most successful players from the continent have excelled as defensive stalwarts or interior scorers. Siakam is an excellent defensive player, but he’ll likely win this year’s most improved player award for his ever-expanding offensive game. Siakam is an absolute problem to cover one-on-one, with an array of twirling drives and a reliable jump shot. These playoffs have been a coming-out party for Siakam, who scores 23.6 points per game on 53.% field goal shooting.
