“Growing up I wanted to play soccer,” explained Siakam. “I absolutely love soccer and it’s one of my passions. I follow the sport religiously and love everything about it.”
“I discovered that I love basketball,” Siakam said. “I watched basketball on television, but I never allowed myself to play the game because I was occupied with soccer. It’s a good thing that I went.”
Siakam then made one of the most difficult decisions of his life and cross the Atlantic Ocean and focus on basketball.
“I was scared because I was leaving everything I knew,” Siakam added. “But it was one of the best decisions I made.”
He moved to Dallas and prepped at God’s Academy and quickly drew the attention of the NM State head coach Marvin Menzies.
“Pascal is a long and athletic forward who has the potential to a dynamic player for us,” Menzies said. “He has the attitude of being a sponge and wants to learn everything about the game. Any time you have that approach you’re going to grow exponentially.”
When Siakam arrived in Las Cruces last summer he weighed 200 pounds and redshirted in order to gain muscle and physically mature before stepping onto the court as a Division I student-athlete.
“Oh man, when I arrived last year I was skinny,” Siakam said with a slight grin. “I feel that I needed to sit out a rear in order to accumulate myself to college basketball and it was a good decision. I was able to focus on my academics and improve on the court.”
In the past year Siakam has added 30 pounds in muscle and is eager to compete for playing time.
“My body feels different and the extra time in the gym has given me confidence,” Siakam said. “Last year at this time I wouldn’t feel comfortable down low, but now I’m not afraid to drive into the post and make a play.”
During the 2014-15 season, NM State will compete in 17 home games including games against I-10 rivals UTEP and Rio Grande rivals New Mexico. The home schedule also includes seven Western Athletic Conference games.
“One of the reasons why I came here was because of the offense,” Siakam said. “Coach (Menzies) really likes athletic forwards who can run the court and I feel that I fit into that mold. I need to continue to get better and compete at a high level.”
Off the court, Siakam is just as determined to succeed.
“If I wasn’t playing basketball I’d like to own my own enterprise and make a difference in the world," Siakam said. “Honestly, I don’t know what that is yet, but the sport of basketball has provided me a platform to do that. The education I receive from New Mexico State and the people that I connect with will help me down the road.”