Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam - Citation

Three-time NBA All-Star. 2019 NBA Championship winner. Philanthropist – changing lives of young people around the world through education and sport.

Pascal was born to a family of six siblings in Douala, Cameroon. When he was 11, his father enrolled him in a seminary in another town. Life there was hard work: waking up at 5:30 a.m. to chop wood, wash dishes, and do laundry – followed by morning mass and then a full day of classes. The seminary had one basketball net – half-broken, rusty, and mostly left unused during their one hour of recreation each day. 

During holidays, Pascal would return home. It was during one of those visits that a friend invited him to attend a local basketball camp. He went on to take part in Basketball Without Borders – an instructional camp organized by the NBA. After finishing grade 12, with the guidance and support of his father, Pascal enrolled in a prep school in the United Sates to further his academic and athletic development. 

He had only just started playing organized basketball, but backed by his father’s belief in his potential, Pascal put in the work and was later recruited to play for New Mexico State University. That first year, he was injured and redshirted the entire season. The next year, he came off the bench, worked his way to the starting line-up, and took home conference Freshman of the Year. The year after that, he kept learning and working and was unanimously awarded conference Player of the Year. 

When the next door opened and Pascal was drafted to the Toronto Raptors, he worked harder than anyone else. In his eight years in Toronto, he helped lead the Raptors to their first NBA championship and was named the league’s Most Improved Player along the way. He established himself as one of the best and most versatile defensive players in the NBA. In 2024, he joined the Indiana Pacers where his playing skill and ability to bring people together was instrumental in driving Indiana’s best playoff run in franchise history.

 This is an almost unimaginable success story. It’s a testament to what is possible when ambition and self-belief are met in equal part by hard work and dedication. 

 Because he was given the gift of a father who believed he could do anything, Pascal had the courage to walk through doors when they opened and the strength to meet the challenges along the way. 

 Tchamo Siakam passed away in 2014. But Pascal carries his father’s spirit with him, believing in the potential of others and creating opportunities for them to do great things. He founded the PS43 Foundation, a not for profit that uses innovative approaches to empowering young people through education and mentorship. 

 Here at UNB, Pascal and the PS43 Foundation partnered with the River Philip Foundation to create The Pascal Siakam Scholarship, which awards $8,000 per year to a student from Cameroon who is enrolled in a technology-related program. The scholarship has supported three students so far: Cedrick Tahmo in computer science, Erick Mbianda  in mechanical engineering, and this year’s recipient, Jella Karen Fandio, an engineering student from Pascal’s hometown of Douala.

The PS43 Foundation’s guiding principle is “dream big”. Set yourself a goal, regardless of obstacles and challenges, and put in the hard work. What could you do, if you started today? Who do you want to be?

 Pascal Siakam’s story is an inspiration because he dared to fight for his dreams – to make them reality. It’s an inspiration because he has used his success to empower others to do the same.