When Pascal Siakam arrived at Raptors Media Day this past September, it was impossible to ignore just how happy he appeared to be back in Toronto after a tumultuous 18 months.
Between the NBA shutdown, his struggles during the NBA Restart in Orlando and the rocky Tampa season that ended with a season-ending shoulder injury, it felt like Siakam couldn't catch a break. Through it all, Siakam looked to be himself again when he showed up for the 2021-22 season, which appeared to be a sign of things to come.
It was.
Over 68 games this past season, Siakam averaged 22.8 points to go along with career-high averages of 8.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists, all while playing in a league-leading 37.9 minutes per game.
Pascal Siakam (22.8 PTS, 8.5 REB, 5.3 AST) is the first @Raptors player in franchise history to average 20/5/5 in a season! 🌶 pic.twitter.com/ILCg4Jzjm4
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) April 12, 2022
Siakam's scoring average was a shade below his average during his first All-NBA campaign in 2019-20 (22.9), but because of his improvements as a rebounder, playmaker and overall leader, the 2021-22 season was undeniably the best of Siakam's career so far.
MORE: Siakam selected to All-NBA Third Team
As a scorer, Siakam turned in 46 games of 20 or more points and 14 games of 30 or more, including a 40-point showing in a thrilling win over the Celtics. As a playmaker, Siakam dished out seven or more assists 21 times, including a career-best 13 assists which was a part of one of his two triple-doubles this season.
Pascal Siakam notched his second career triple-double by logging 12 PTS, 13 AST (CH) and 10 REB in the @Raptors WIN over Minnesota! #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/o3JH5L5adz
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) March 31, 2022
The other? 37 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a crucial win over the 76ers.
Pascal Siakam notched his third career triple-double by logging 37 PTS on 50% shooting (14-28), 12 AST, 11 REB and 2 STL in the @Raptors WIN over Philadelphia! #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/v3nlOkz4FV
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) April 8, 2022
Leading into the season, discussions around Siakam centered around his ability to be "the man" after Kyle Lowry's departure. While Siakam and Fred VanVleet both downplayed some of those narratives, the noise was impossible to ignore.
Despite the rust that came with Siakam missing the entirety of training camp and the first 10 games of the regular season, it didn't take him much time to get back up to speed to fill that void. Had it not been for a few rusty performances to start the season, Siakam's season-long averages would be even better than they were, which is saying something.
RAPTORS REPORT CARDS: What grade did Scottie Barnes get for his ROY campaign?
More impressive than the numbers, however, was Siakam's presence as a reliable leader and calming force for the Raptors.
While an uninspiring performance from Siakam in Game 3 had a hand in Toronto facing a 3-0 deficit to open the postseason, he responded to warranted criticism by turning up his aggression in Games 4 and 5 to help the Raptors stave off elimination twice before they were knocked out in Game 6.
The biggest takeaway from the above playoff example is that while Siakam is clearly an All-NBA level performer and will be a perennial All-Star moving forward, there are things about being the No. 1 option that he is still getting accustomed to.
If the 2021-22 season is any indication, Siakam's going to get there sooner rather than later.
He's well on his way.
Grade: A
