Toronto Raptors power forward Pascal Siakam has dedicated his first NBA Finals game to his late father.
Siakam told the press after the Raptors' resounding 118-109 win over the visiting Golden State Warriors in Game 1 on Thursday that he commits himself to a purpose bigger than basketball.
"For me, like I always say man, it's bigger than basketball. Every night that I go out there, I have a bigger purpose."
Pascal Siakam talks about his perspective on the court and dedicating his first #NBAFinals game to his late father 🙌 pic.twitter.com/hcL8qTzneS
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 31, 2019
Pascal is the youngest of Tchamo Siakam's six children. The older Siakam was the mayor of Makenene, Cameroon. He died in a car accident in October of 2014.
Shortly after the Raptors made Pascal Siakam the 27th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft out of New Mexico State, he told The Star's Doug Smith he fulfilled his father's dream.
I don't think I can really put it into words. We've been through so much with my dad passing away and him really wanting this to happen. The fact I was able to make it happen just makes me feel like I'm kind of special.
There is so much attention…because of that and all that happened and the story behind it. I'm just excited to be able to put my family back on the map and not only realize my dream but my dad and my family's dream.
Pascal Siakam:
Born in Cameroon, the youngest of six.
At 11, he enrolled in a seminary.
At 15, he started playing ball.
At 16, he came to the USAt 20, his father was killed. He couldn't attend the funeral.
He just led #Raptors to their biggest win in history.#WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/mGIzZg3hfI
— Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) May 31, 2019
There's no question Tchamo Siakam would've been proud of his youngest son. Pascal Siakam's 32 points led the Raptors in their series-opening victory over the Warriors on Thursday.
As a result, Siakam became just the fourth player with a maximum of three years' experience to score at least 30 points in his first NBA Finals Game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Tim Duncan were the first three players to accomplish the feat. Talk about elite company.
The 2019 NBA Finals are far from over. If the Toronto Raptors win their first NBA championship, expect Pascal Siakam to dedicate it wholeheartedly to his late father.