Pascal Siakam, known as "Spicy P," is a two-time NBA All-Star power forward for the Indiana Pacers. Originally from Douala, Cameroon, Siakam was discovered by former NBA player Luc Mbah Moute at a local basketball camp. This encounter led him to play college basketball at New Mexico State, where he won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year award in 2016. Eventually in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors selected Siakam with the 27th overall pick in the first round. Siakam did not get much playing time in the first season and was sent to the G-League (back then called D-League) to play for Raptors 905. He led Raptors 905 to victory in the 2017 G-League Finals while earning G-League Finals MVP honors.
Pascal Siakam's breakout season came in 2018-19. He won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, and his exceptional two-way play helped the Raptors win their first-ever NBA championship in 2019. Over the past couple of seasons, Pascal Siakam continued to grow as a player, becoming an All-Star in 2020 and 2023, and earning two All-NBA selections. (Second Team in 2020 and Third Team in 2022). In January 2024, Pascal Siakam was traded to the Indiana Pacers and his championship experience brought invaluable leadership to the Pacers, who reached the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals after a decade.
Pascal Siakam’s Injury History
Drafted in 2016, Pascal Siakam had an almost injury-free start to his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors. However, starting from his fourth season, Siakam faced injuries regularly and always missed around 8 to 15 games per season.
Here’s a detailed look at Siakam's injury history as per Fox Sports:
Major Injuries Pascal Siakam Sustained in the NBA
Groin Injury (December 2019)
In his fourth season (2019-2020), Pascal Siakam sustained a groin injury on December 18, 2019, in a game against the Detroit Pistons as per Bleacher Report. This was Siakam’s first significant injury, which led him to miss 11 games as per Basketball Reference. Prior to his absence, the Raptors had a strong 19-8 start, but they struggled slightly without him, going 6-5 during his recovery period.
COVID-19 Protocols (February 2021)
In February 2021, Siakam missed six games due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols related to COVID-19. According to Basketball Reference, he made his return on March 17, 2021, against the Detroit Pistons.
Torn Labrum in Left Shoulder (May to October 2021)
Pascal Siakam’s most severe injury occurred late in the 2020-2021 season. On May 8, 2021, Siakam tore the labrum in his left shoulder during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies as per the NBA. This terrible injury prematurely ended his 2020-2021 season, causing him to miss the Raptors’ final four games.
One week after the injury, Siakam underwent surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. Overall, Siakam was sidelined until early November, a few weeks into the 2021-2022 season. This injury recovery caused Siakam to miss the 2021-2022 season’s first 10 games and play under minute restrictions in his initial return games as per Basketball Reference.
Adductor (November 2022)
On November 4, 2022, Pascal Siakam suffered a right adductor muscle strain after a hard fall while driving against the Dallas Mavericks. This injury kept him out for 10 games, during which the Raptors posted a 5-5 record. According to Basketball Reference, he resumed play in early December.
FAQs on Pascal Siakam
A. Pascal Siakam wears no. 43 jersey for the Indiana Pacers.
A. Pascal Siakam is 30 years old as of November 2024. He was born on April 2, 1994.
A. Pascal Siakam’s NBA 2k25 rating is 88.
A. Pascal Siakam’ wingspan is 7 feet 3 inches.
