Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam looks ready to be a superstar

Pascal Siakam is off to a terrific start to the season and appears ready to take on the role of superstar for the Toronto Raptors

We’re just six games into the new NBA season, but Toronto Raptors phenom Pascal Siakam is already showing that this year could be the one where he breaks out as one of the league’s most exciting young superstars.

The 25-year-old had a very impressive campaign en route to an NBA title last season with the Raps, putting up career-highs in every category possible, averaging 16.9 points per night and 6.9 boards.

So far in 2019-20 however, Siakam has blown those previous career-best numbers out of the water. He leads the Raptors in scoring, averaging 26 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest. It’s tough to predict if he’ll continue to score at this high rate all season, but watching him play on a nightly basis and seeing the level he competes at would make one think that this season is going to be a very special one for Toronto’s budding superstar.

More from Sir Charles In Charge

Kyle Lowry has been one of the Raptors’ most important franchise pieces for many years now, but as we look at the future of this organization, Siakam looks to be the young star they will need to build around for success in the coming years.

Kawhi Leonard‘s departure from Toronto left many fans disappointed after he helped bring the city it’s first-ever NBA title, but Siakam’s incredible strides early on have filled the void that Leonard left with the Raps.

Improving every season

Siakam, a former New Mexico State standout, has improved his numbers every single year through his four seasons in the NBA and practically jumped into a starting role last season after previously featuring in just five games as a starter in the 2017-18 campaign. That year, Siakam averaged just 7.3 points per game. To think how far he’s come is incredible. Winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award last season looks to have motivated Siakam even more, putting forward All-Star-like performances on a nightly basis through six contests.

One area where he’s seen a lot of improvements so far this year is his 3-point shooting. Siakam attempted just 2.7 3’s per game last season for a 36.9 percent clip. This year, however, he’s shooting 5.5 3’s per contest for a 42.4 percent clip. Siakam is great at using his big frame to get inside and finish at the hoop, but adding a quality shot from long-range is only going to make his all-around game more dangerous than it already is.

One of the easiest ways to score points in the NBA is from the charity stripe. In previous seasons, Siakam struggled to drain free throws, shooting just 78.5 percent from the line last year. So far this season, however, he’s looked sharp, draining free-throws at a 96.3 percent clip.

In last week’s win over the Detroit Pistons, Siakam dropped 30 points, including 19 of them in the third quarter alone:

Siakam is committing more fouls than he ever has this season, which has resulted in him spending too much time on the bench. It’ll be important that he tames his ability to stay out of foul trouble because he is their most elite scorer, but also, he is just a physical player. It’s the way he plays the game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Siakam just needs to be a little bit smarter about the way he uses his body.

Next. 4 NBA draft busts who revived their careers. dark

It’s been quite the ride for the Cameroonian born power forward who slipped all the way to the 27th pick back in the 2016 NBA Draft, but Siakam is proving that he has what it takes to be one of the brightest stars in this league and a key piece to this Toronto Raptors organization.

Home/Toronto Raptors