The Last Time Pascal Siakam Played in the NBA Finals, He Ended Up With a Ring 👀Can He Add Another? 🏆

The last time Pascal Siakam stepped onto the NBA’s biggest stage, he walked away as a champion.

It was 2019. The Toronto Raptors were facing off against a dynasty—the Golden State Warriors. Kawhi Leonard led the charge, but on that historic run, it wasn’t just the board man who got paid. A long, lanky forward from Cameroon announced himself to the world with a breakout performance. That player was Pascal Siakam.

Now, in 2025, he’s back in the NBA Finals—this time in a different jersey, a different role, and a different conference. But the goal is the same: a championship ring. The question is simple: Can he do it again?

From G League to Game 1 Greatness

Siakam’s journey is anything but conventional. A late first-round pick in 2016, he spent time developing in the G League before cracking Toronto’s rotation. By 2019, he had blossomed into the Raptors’ second-best player. His Game 1 performance in the 2019 Finals—32 points on 14-of-17 shooting—set the tone for the series. He averaged 19.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and elite two-way play, helping Toronto dethrone the Warriors and claim their first title in franchise history.

That summer, the world finally knew what Toronto fans had been watching all season: Pascal Siakam was for real.

The Indiana Chapter Begins

Fast-forward to 2024. The Indiana Pacers made a bold move at the trade deadline, acquiring Siakam from the Raptors in exchange for a package that included picks and young talent. Many saw it as a win-now gamble—but for Indiana, it was a statement of intent.

With a young star in Tyrese Haliburton orchestrating the offense, the Pacers were ready to compete—but they needed playoff experience, toughness, and frontcourt scoring. Enter Siakam.

He didn’t waste time making his presence felt. Seamlessly fitting into Indiana’s high-tempo, pass-heavy system, Siakam became the veteran anchor in a young and fearless locker room. He brought size, versatility, and championship poise to a team that hadn’t been to the Finals since 2000.

This postseason, he’s elevated again—just like he did in 2019. Whether it’s defending opposing stars, crashing the glass, or hitting timely mid-range shots, Siakam has been the steady hand beside Haliburton’s electric playmaking.

A Different Role, the Same Determination

What’s fascinating about Siakam’s second trip to the Finals is how different his role is compared to 2019. Back then, he was the young up-and-comer. Now, he’s the veteran with a championship pedigree. In a locker room full of first-time finalists—Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard—Siakam is the one who’s been there before. And that matters.

“Pascal’s calm is contagious,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said during the Eastern Conference Finals. “He’s been in every kind of playoff battle. That presence is huge for us.”

He’s averaging 20+ points in the postseason again, but more than the stats, it’s the little things—deflections, switches, extra passes—that have defined his impact. Siakam doesn’t force the game; he flows with it. And in the playoffs, that patience becomes a weapon.

Matching Up in the Finals

In the 2025 NBA Finals, the Pacers are up against the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder—a team filled with youth, length, and skill. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a problem. Chet Holmgren is a matchup nightmare. But Siakam presents a unique counter. His ability to guard multiple positions, run the floor, and finish at the rim gives Indiana a two-way threat Oklahoma City will have to account for.

The Finals are often decided by experience. It’s not always the most talented team that wins—it’s the one that adjusts, stays composed, and steps up in critical moments. Siakam knows this. He’s lived it.

And his teammates are leaning on him to help navigate the pressure.

“Having a guy like Pascal who’s been through it all—it gives us confidence,” Haliburton told reporters. “He’s been on that stage. He’s won it. That energy rubs off.”

A Legacy Moment

If Siakam leads Indiana to a title, it would mark one of the most compelling full-circle stories in recent NBA memory. From underdog to champion in 2019. From trade chip to team cornerstone in 2025. In an era where stars often jump from contender to contender, Siakam has consistently proven his value through hard work, humility, and versatility.

He doesn’t command headlines like some of his peers. He’s not flashy, he’s not loud. But when the lights are brightest, Pascal Siakam shows up.

And now, with a second ring within reach, his legacy is quietly becoming undeniable.

Not many players can say they were key contributors on two different Finals teams in two different conferences. Even fewer can say they were integral to winning in both.

Siakam could join that elite club this year.

So, Can He Do It Again?

Can Pascal Siakam add another ring to his résumé?

He has the tools. He has the team. He has the experience. And perhaps most importantly—he has the hunger. Once traded. Once doubted. Once counted out.

Now, just four wins away from being a champion again.

👀 The last time he was here, he won it all.
🏆 Can he do it again?