Cologne, you know, you gotta make sure you smell good all the time.
Pascal Siakam
For me, it's just about working hard every day and getting better.
Yeah, I'm definitely really good at 'FIFA.'
I'm spicy and I've got skills.
When my dad passed away, the NBA became a major priority for me. It became bigger than just loving basketball; I suddenly had extra motivation. I was willing to do absolutely anything I had to do to get to the NBA.
It's not to say I don't want African players to hustle and play hard, but I also wanted to show we can do more. We can dribble. We can have high IQs. We can pass the ball. We can shoot. I wanted to make sure I changed the perception.
I don't compare myself to anybody. I try to be my own player.
I ask myself what my father would think of me making it to the NBA every day. I hope he's proud. I hope he's watching down and realizing that his dream became a reality.
Having fun with family, playing video games, and listening to music calms me down and gets me away from the NBA world.
I've always believed in myself and I've always put the work in to get to not only be an all-star but be an all-star for a long time. That's my goal. I think about these things and I feel like I have the ability to do it.
Winning a championship was the best thing that has happened to me that I've been through, that I've seen in my life.
I always feel like I just wanna go, and that's something that I'm learning every day - understanding to think more instead of just going because I see an advantage or I see that 'oh, I can make this move, I can make this shot.'
Most of the time when I don't set goals, I always exceed whatever goal people have.
For people that know my story, they know how important my dad is.
After MIP, it was like, 'OK, there is way more.' We thinking MVP, we thinking All-Star.
In college from my freshman year to my sophomore year, I always got better, and that's just my mindset.
I gotta continue within the offence and just understand it, pick and choose when to attack and things like that.
It wasn't like I came in and was like, 'I'm going to be a starter.' That was never in my head. It was always about, like, 'I can make sure I come and I'm better and I can handle the ball and I can shoot and I can defend. And, if I can do those things, I will play.'
People would make fun of me because they were acting like I can't dribble. But, in my head, I was always a guard... I was like, 'Yo, I'm tall, but I don't care. I'm not no big man.'
I was a soccer player. Basketball wasn't my thing.
I love the fact that I can not be able to do something and I can put in a lot of hours doing it and I can become good at it,' Siakam said. 'It feels good. It feels so great, and I enjoy that.
I've always put the work in to not only get be an All-Star, but be an All-Star for a long time. That's my goal.
It's gonna be on me to go out there every single night and make sure that I'm the best player that can be and I continue to work hard and don't get complacent and do everything in my power to to be at that level.
If you watch my game, freshman year to sophomore year, I was a different player.
I'm always big on getting better.
I watch a lot of players. Guys like Kenneth Faried, his motor. I'm trying to take that and put that into my game.
I'm from Cameroon, Central Africa.
LaMarcus Aldridge, his midrange game, his turnaround jumper is awesome.
I think I always knew that the things that I was born with can definitely translate to the NBA. Energy and being able to run, rebound, those things will always translate.
Having more freedom to bring the ball up and have the ball in my hands, just trusting me with the ball, that was one of the big things. My rookie year, I didn't have that. Just having that trust in me, just working and them seeing that I'm getting better at it, that I'm capable, that was kind of like a changing point for me.
I think it's about creating a brand for yourself and making sure that you're known, and that people know you for who you are. How do you do something that represents you and translates everything that you represent as a person and as a player? I think that's something that we all develop.
It's about continuing to develop as a player and continuing to get better and that's something that I'm hoping to do every single year.
There's no way to practice or run or do anything to match the speed of the game.
There are definitely no ceilings. I don't feel no limits at all.
Once you work hard, you're confident. You know what it takes. And you know the hours that you put in to have the results that you have.
I don't worry about the future. I worry about now.
My dad's always going to be my motivation.
The fact that I can come in and give energy to the team, no matter my skill level, I have that. That's an NBA ready skill.
The fact that I will be a relentless rebounder and I will go for every rebound. That's a skill.
A lot of people get to the NBA, but how many people stay in the NBA?
I trust the NBA, I trust the league and Adam Silver and the job he's been able to do.
My passion is basketball and I'm so lucky to be able to use this sport to give back to my community.
Basketball is bigger than just a game.
I think a lot of kids growing up, we have dreams.
We think about a lot of things that we want to do and sometimes it might feel like, you know, it's not even possible, that we can't really achieve that. But I think it's really important to let kids know, starting from when they're young, that if they put their mind to something and put the time in, they can definitely achieve it.
It's easy to relax and get comfortable but you can't be comfortable if you want to be great.
It means a lot when your peers see your improvement.
My life hasn't changed, it's been the same. What's helped me with that is keeping my circle tight, having the people that care about me around me.
I focus on working on my craft and the rest will take care of itself.
I have to be able to shoot the ball, I have to be able to dangerous not only going to the basket but on the perimeter.
