“This is the NBA, there’s times when you go through periods where you’re not playing your best, but as long as we recognize the things that we’re not doing well and trying to fix them, I think we’ll be okay,” Pascal Siakam once said. The pressure on anybody and everybody who makes it to the highest rank of basketball is more than immense. But as we fanatics (more critics) these days binge through hoop content and pass a comment, it is important we pay immense attention to the ‘individual’ wearing that jersey.

Keeping that in mind, today, we delve into the story of Indiana Pacers star, Pascal Siakam. Well, Siakam’s been on a good run in these last few months. His first All-Star appearance as a Pacer is a testament to the fact. Overall, this will be Siakam’s third appearance.

“I love being here and being part of this team. Being named an All-Star for the first time as a Pacer means a lot, and hopefully, there will be more,” Pascal shared earlier in 2025. While his on-court experiences are well documented, Pascal’s background makes his story so much more interesting. And that’s what we’re going to explore today.

What is Pascal Siakam’s nationality and ethnicity?

Pascal was born on April 2, 1994, in Douala. The largest city in Cameroon. So, naturally, Siakam’s nationality is Cameroonian. Coming from a diverse Central African country, it’s hard to pinpoint his ethnicity. He grew up with six siblings. His older brothers – Boris, Christian, and James – all eventually went to play Division I college basketball in America. But Pascal was never really interested. In fact, he didn’t play any form of organized basketball until he was 17! But just a few years later, at 26, he was an NBA Champion!

Without much hoop experience, Pascal was discovered by Luc Mbah a Moute and invited to a Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa when he was just 16. With Luc as a mentor, Pascal moved to the US to pursue pro baseball, and the rest is history.

Before moving, Pascal Siakam was enrolled in St. Andrew’s Seminary in Bafia as a pre-teen upon his father’s wish (more on this later). However, he later decided not to go down this path. Pascal’s dad, Tchamo, tragically, Tchamo passed away in a car accident in 2014 before he got to see Pascal play professionally. His mom, Victoria, has been his rock. Although not much is known about her.

After Siakam made it big, he bought her a house! “Happy birthday and happy Mother’s Day to the Queen herself! Thank you for always being there for all of us and being the super mom you are. With dad being gone, we haven’t been able to call a place home, and it was always my dream to change that!” he wrote on IG. A testament to the strong connection Pascal shared with his mum.

There’s so much more to the Pacers star’s story. Now, let’s explore more about his dad’s dream and a particular phase of life which Siakam has said this about: “The best thing that ever happened to [him].” 

What is Pascal Siakam’s religion?

Believe it or not, Pascal Siakam was a reluctant seminarian. “He turned from a very calm child into a very stubborn boy,” Father Armel Collins Ndjama said in 2018. “At times, I considered dismissing him, but his academic results were so remarkable, we kept him,” the seminary’s director continued. In retrospect, Siakam admitted this phase had a huge impact on his life. Seminary “helped me focus on myself and try to better myself and work hard for what I wanted,” Siakam once narrated.

Seminarians had to wake up by 5:30am to start the day with Mass before the house chores, including chopping wood, washing dishes, and doing the laundry. After the day’s classes were done, they’d head back to church, followed by an hour of recreation from 5 to 6pm. That was when Pascal Siakam fell in love with sport. Soccer, not basketball. Everybody preferred playing the former.

Hesitatingly, Pascal joined the basketball camp: first one near the seminary, and then one in South Africa. He went so he could visit a sister who lived nearby. “I think I know why my dad made me go,” he wrote in 2016 on The Players’ Tribune. “He was giving me all the tools I’d need to succeed. Just as important as his dream for his son to play in the NBA was his desire for me to become my own man.”

Pascal Siakam is today living proof of what his dad always wanted him to be. From being the ultimate family man, who believes in God, to a gifted team player in the Indiana Pacers, it is safe to say that Tchamo would be one proud dad.