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Cameroonian professional basketball player Pascal Siakam began playing basketball at the age of 15 or 16. He attended an annual basketball camp run by NBAer Luc Mbah a Moute and discovered his natural gift for the sport. Siakam went on to play college basketball for the New Mexico State Aggies and was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2016. He was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 April 1994 |
| Nationality | Cameroonian |
| Current team | Indiana Pacers |
| Position | Power Forward |
| Education | Studied at a Catholic seminary from the age of 11 to 18 |
| Basketball experience | Began playing basketball at 15 or 16 |
| College basketball | New Mexico State Aggies |
| NBA draft | 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft |
| NBA career | Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers |
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What You'll Learn
Pascal Siakam's father, Tchamo, wanted him to become a priest
Pascal Siakam is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on April 2, 1994, and started playing basketball at the age of 15.
Siakam spent four years at the seminary, during which he excelled academically and developed important life skills such as doing chores and improving his English. He also discovered a passion for soccer, which was more popular than basketball among his peers. Despite his initial reluctance, Siakam later reflected that his time at the seminary "was the best thing that ever happened to [him]."
At the age of 15, Siakam started playing basketball, a sport that his tall and athletically gifted brothers had taken up, opening doors for them in the United States. In 2012, Siakam changed his mind about basketball after attending a Basketball Without Borders camp for kids in South Africa. He then moved to the United States at the age of 18, settling in Lewisville, Texas, and attending God's Academy. Siakam's father helped him secure this position, and he went on to pursue a college basketball career at New Mexico State University.
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Siakam began playing basketball at 15 or 16
Cameroonian basketball player Pascal Siakam began playing basketball at the age of 15 or 16. He had little interest in the sport growing up, instead preferring soccer, and studied at a Catholic seminary from the age of 11 to 18. However, his father Tchamo had always wanted one of his sons to reach the NBA, and Siakam was much taller than his peers by the time he was 15. This led him to attend an annual basketball camp run by NBAer Luc Mbah a Moute, and his physical gifts were immediately apparent despite his lack of knowledge about the sport.
At 16, Siakam received an unexpected invitation to a Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa, and it was here that he fell in love with the game. He was recruited to play basketball in the U.S. and won a scholarship to New Mexico State University, but tragedy struck before his first season when his father died in a car accident. Siakam was unable to attend the funeral as he was waiting for the issuance of a new U.S. visa, and he has said that his father's passing still haunts him today. However, he has channelled this into his basketball career, playing not only for himself but also for his father.
After enrolling at New Mexico State University in 2013, Siakam worked his way onto the Aggies' starting lineup and was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2016. He was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft and was named the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2019, becoming the first player to win an NBA title in the same season. He now plays for the Indiana Pacers and is a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection.
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He attended basketball camps and a preparatory school in Texas
Cameroonian professional basketball player Pascal Siakam was born on 2 April 1994. He began playing basketball at the relatively late age of 15, having shown little interest in the sport before then. In 2011, he attended Luc Mbah a Moute's basketball camp for the first time, a year before graduating from St. Andrew's Seminary in Bafia, where he had been enrolled by his father at the age of 11.
At the Mbah a Moute camp, Siakam's raw talent was noticed, and he was invited to the Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa. Raptors president Masai Ujiri, who was present at the camp, recalled that "His effort was memorable."
After honing his skills at several camps, Siakam moved to the United States at the age of 18. He settled in Lewisville, Texas, and attended God's Academy, a preparatory school. While at this school, Siakam was neither widely known nor initially eligible to play basketball. However, his potential was recognised by New Mexico State University's Aggies coach Marvin Menzies, who pursued him actively. Siakam enrolled at New Mexico State University in 2013, where he played college basketball for the Aggies.
In 2016, Siakam was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. That same year, he was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft. He went on to win an NBA championship with the Raptors in 2019 and was named the NBA's Most Improved Player that same year.
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Siakam played college basketball for the New Mexico State Aggies
Pascal Siakam is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born on 2 April 1994 and is a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection. He won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
Siakam's coach at New Mexico State, Marvin Menzies, was the first to recruit him when he arrived in the United States. Menzies, who had nine foreign-born players on his roster, heard about Siakam from friends in Africa. Siakam arrived at New Mexico State at 190 pounds and redshirted as a freshman, focusing on putting on weight. In his second year, he made a quick impression, becoming the team's second-leading scorer at 12.8 points per game and leading rebounder at 7.7 boards per game.
In the 2015-16 season, Siakam averaged 20.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks across 34 games en route to earning unanimous WAC Player of the Year honours. On 19 April 2016, he declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final two years of college eligibility. On 23 June 2016, Siakam was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 27th overall pick in the NBA draft.
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He was drafted to the NBA in 2016
Cameroonian basketball player Pascal Siakam was drafted to the NBA in 2016. He was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft.
Siakam's journey to the NBA began when he was around 15 years old. He attended an annual basketball camp run by NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute, which he only went to because his friends were going. Despite having no prior basketball experience, Siakam's athleticism and energy stood out, and he soon received an invitation to a Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa.
In 2012, Siakam moved to the United States at the age of 18. He attended God's Academy in Lewisville, Texas, a preparatory school where he continued to play basketball. Despite his natural athleticism, Siakam struggled at first, as the level of play was much higher than what he was used to. However, he worked hard to improve his skills and eventually caught the attention of New Mexico State University coach Marvin Menzies.
Siakam enrolled at New Mexico State University in 2013 and joined the New Mexico State Aggies basketball team. He sat out the 2013-14 season due to an injury but returned strong the following year, earning the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year award in 2016. This success led to him being drafted by the Toronto Raptors later that year.
Since joining the NBA, Siakam has had a successful career. He was named the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2019 and won an NBA championship with the Raptors in the same year. He has since become a three-time NBA All-Star and a two-time All-NBA selection.
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Frequently asked questions
Pascal Siakam started playing basketball at the age of 15 or 16.
Pascal Siakam started playing basketball because his father dreamed of one of his sons reaching the NBA.
Yes, Pascal Siakam's father, Tchamo, wanted one of his sons to reach the NBA. Although he passed away in 2014, Siakam continues to play basketball for him.
No, Pascal Siakam initially wanted to pursue a business degree. He also attended a Catholic seminary from the age of 11 to 18, with his father hoping he would become a priest.
Pascal Siakam did not play basketball in high school. He attended a Catholic seminary and later moved to the United States at the age of 18, where he attended God's Academy in Lewisville, Texas.
