Over the years, NBA and soccer fans have developed a very close connection with each other. There are quite a few soccer players who love watching the NBA. On the other hand, many professional NBA players would also become half-decent soccer players with the soccer skills that they currently possess.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Just a few days ago, Pascal Siakam showed off his elegant soccer skills just before an NBA game. The NBA star then put in a match-winning performance as his ‘cherry on the cake’ moment.
Soccer and NBA fans appreciate the Pascal Siakam ‘soccer’ show!
On 9 January, the Toronto Raptors were all set to face the Portland Trail Blazers. The NBA fans were ready to witness the Portland Trail Blazers walk over the Raptors. However, just before the game began, Pascal Siakam was busy doing his warmup routine. But to everyone’s surprise, this routine didn’t quite seem like a regular basketball routine.
Pascal Siakam led the Raptors to the W with a team-high 27 PTS, 4 REB, and 6 AST 🌶️ pic.twitter.com/C3cJV2QeRw
— NBA (@NBA) January 8, 2023
Siakam was proudly showing off his soccer skills to the fans without any hesitation. Soccer fans from all over the world appreciated his skills and didn’t shy away from making direct comparisons with the soccer greats. Many soccer fans were stunned looking at the stability that Siakam had while controlling the ball.
Let’s have a look at how the fans reacted after watching Siakam’s soccer skills.
Better than Ronaldo
— Sad_Raptors_Fan (@Sad_Raptors_Fan) January 8, 2023
— Jan Frankowski (@jaso230189) January 9, 2023
He’s better than fraud ronaldo https://t.co/7xQik3c9ho
— 🏀KØBË WĘŠT☄️ (@kobeewest) January 8, 2023
@ManUtd our new striker https://t.co/hKRc21CtwA
— Rhys 🇦🇺❗️ (@SulloReport) January 8, 2023
Siakam Ronaldo
— Opposite of Chuck (@JayDunn305) January 9, 2023
Better than Penaldo
— Erv (@FeebleMinded_) January 8, 2023
Maradona right there ⚽️
— Ylli Pocesta (@pocesta001) January 8, 2023
Bro could be a pro footballer⚽️
— 1_limite2 (@smoko_gg) January 11, 2023
he is a son of Africa. He was born with a football in his hands.
— Website Guru 🇨🇦 (@webgurucanada) January 9, 2023
Quite a few soccer fans were lost for words. They didn’t quite know how to react to the same. A few soccer fans poked fun by comparing Siakam to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2019, Pascal Siakam revealed that he once dreamt of becoming a soccer player. In fact, the NBA star used to play soccer regularly in boarding school till the age of 11. After returning back home, the NBA star developed a liking for basketball after attending a free summer camp that was just for fun.
Siakam made sure that he ended his day on a high. The NBA star made the headlines after he turned in a performance of a lifetime to help his team win and gain momentum for the rest of the tournament.
Pascal Siakam with a match-winning performance!
The Toronto Raptors were not having the best run of form prior to this game. The Raptors had shockingly lost all three of their last games in a row. The NBA fans weren’t quite expecting anything special from the Raptors. However, Pascal Siakam was in a different zone altogether. The powerful center scored a total of 27 points. Scottie Barnes finished behind Siakam with nine rebounds and 22 points.
Pascal Siakam in a 117-105 win vs. the Trail Blazers : 27 points (8-19 shooting, 2-4 from 3 & 9-11 from the FT line), 4 rebounds & 6 assists in 38 minutes pic.twitter.com/KH2Vk2hibn
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) January 9, 2023
Siakam was successful in getting his team out of a losing rut. However, the Raptors have not been consistent this season. They have been plagued with lapses of concentration that culminate in them losing the match.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Toronto Raptors QB, Pascal Siakam 😭🔥 pic.twitter.com/9krzz3ATxy
— Top Bunk Sports (@Topbunksports) January 15, 2023
However, Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard did all he could to try and claw his way into the game. The American basketball pro scored a total of 34 points all by himself. However, the Trail Blazers still fell short by a 12-point gap. The final score after the game was Raptors 117 – 105 Trail Blazers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story: Despite Being Only 5% as Rich as Michael Jordan Lionel Messi Once Spent More Money on a Car Than Mj Ever Earned in a Single Active NBA Season
In your opinion, which current soccer player can become a decent NBA player if they were given the choice to switch careers?