Behind the phone call that began the relationship between Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, who together have carried Indiana to the NBA Finals.

"We didn't even play well," Siakam added. Siakam led Indiana in scoring with 19 points while Haliburton had 14. It was a balanced attack by the Pacers as all ten players who got i

When the Pacers traded for Siakam two Januarys ago and later re-signed him, he was seen as the type of star for whom the Pacers had to settle. Indianapolis, being a non-glamour market, would never get a superstar to pair with Haliburton, so they had to search elsewhere. Siakam would have to be good enough. Across the board, he has been.

Pascal Siakam secured the MVP title, beating Tyrese Haliburton by a short margin. He got five votes of 9, and the rest went for Haliburton.

The Pascal Siakam trade has aged extremely well — for Indiana. After leading the Pacers to the NBA Finals and winning the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, Siakam has reminded fans of his elite two-way play, averaging 21.1 points and 5.8 rebounds on 53.7 percent from the field and 46.3% from three in the playoffs.

This was the moment for which Pascal Siakam was brought to Indianapolis. “When we brought him here, we had a vision,” Tyrese Haliburton said

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Pascal Siakam have emerged as top earners and MVP-caliber players in 2025. Gilgeous-Alexander's net worth is approximately

Pascal Siakam's Finals run with the Pacers reflects the NBA’s investment in Africa, proving how grassroots programs are shaping global basketball success.