Pascal Siakam’s journey from the G League to the grandest stage in basketball is more than an underdog story — it’s a blueprint rooted in the Greater Toronto Area.
On May 31, Siakam was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP, leading the Indiana Pacers past the New York Knicks and into the 2025 NBA Finals. The honour marks a milestone not only for the Pacers, but for the Toronto Raptors organization, Raptors 905, and the entire GTA basketball community that helped shape him.
A GTA-Built Star
Before he became an All-Star and an NBA Champion with Toronto, Siakam sharpened his skills with the Raptors 905, the G League affiliate based in Mississauga. He was named G League Finals MVP in 2017 — a sign of things to come. With the Raptors, he became a fan favourite, known for his hustle, humility, and signature spin move, helping Toronto claim its first-ever NBA title in 2019.
Now, just six years later, he’s doing it again — this time as the centrepiece of an Indiana Pacers team that few predicted would make it this far.
From G League Finals MVP to ECF MVP! 🏆
Pascal Siakam’s journey to the 2025 NBA Finals presented by @youtubetv featured a championship season with the @raptors905 in 2016-17. pic.twitter.com/nxfoO3pJAm
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) June 3, 2025
Raptors Roots Run Deep
Siakam’s family ties to the Raptors are well-known. His brother, Christian Siakam, has long been involved with the Raptors 905 as a coach and staff member. Even after the trade that sent him to Indiana earlier this season, Pascal has stayed connected — often shouting out Raptors fans and the city that gave him his NBA foundation.
His leadership with the Pacers in this playoff run has been exceptional. Siakam averaged 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, shooting 52.4% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. His versatility and playoff poise proved too much for New York, even with former teammate OG Anunoby putting up a strong fight on the other side.
In fact, at one point during the Eastern Conference Finals, both OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam were leading scorers for their respective teams. That visual — two former Raptors, both once developed through Toronto’s player pipeline — epitomized the vision Masai Ujiri built.
Canadian Connections Run Deep
Siakam’s Pacers teammate Bennedict Mathurin, a Montreal native, is another rising Canadian star who now joins him in the NBA Finals. Together, they’ll face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort and the Oklahoma City Thunder — giving this year’s Finals a distinctly Canadian and GTA-flavoured spotlight.
Mathurin has impressed throughout the playoffs with his fearless play and athleticism, further bolstering Canada’s new basketball identity on the global stage.
A Testament to the Raptors’ Vision
This run by Siakam — and OG Anunoby’s breakout with the Knicks — validates the Raptors’ reputation as one of the best player development organizations in the league. Both were scouted, drafted, and developed in Toronto before flourishing on new teams.
It also highlights the work of Raptors President Masai Ujiri, whose eye for talent and belief in building through the G League now echoes across the NBA Finals stage.
Toronto may no longer have Siakam or OG on the roster, but their roots are unmistakably part of this playoff storyline.
📣 Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off this Thursday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Whether you’re cheering for Pascal, Mathurin, Dort or SGA — remember: when GTA athletes win, we all win.
Follow GTA Weekly Sports for more stories that celebrate our local athletes. #GTAWeekly #NBAFinals #PascalSiakam #CanadaBasketball
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