“If I have to play for a national team, it will be Cameroon. I am Cameroonian »he said during the NBA Paris Games a year ago. Pascal Siakam is Cameroonian and proud of it, there is no question of imitating his fellow NBA star Joël Embiid, who requested French and American passports to finally compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics with Team USA. Siakam is not as strong as Embiid, who was voted league MVP in 2023, but the 31-year-old made his fourth All-Star Game appearance (after 2020, 2023 and 2025).
A big football fan, the Pacers power forward arrived at the star party, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, with a magnificent Samuel Eto’o jersey, worn by the Cameroonian legend in 2009-2010, during the Champions League-Serie A-Italian Cup triple for José Mourinho’s Nerazzurri. “Spicy P’s” sartorial choice was highlighted in a video showing him greeting Giannis Antetokounmpo, who opted for a Nike jersey reading “Air Afrique.” “I represent Cameroon, my country”Siakam said to the Greek star of Nigerian origin.
In any case, Samuel Eto’o did not fail to salute Pascal Siakam, who is also an idol in Cameroon since his coronation as NBA champion in 2019 with the Raptors, by being elected MIP of the season (the player who has experienced the best progression).
Eto’o to Siakam: “ a rare mark of greatness”
“To you, Pascal Siakam, my little brother, I was deeply moved to see you wearing my 2010 jersey, the one I wore then in the colors of Inter Milan, during the NBA All-Star Game. This gesture, seemingly simple, carries immense force. That a player of your stature, today at the top of world basketball, has chosen to remember, honor and pass on, is a rare mark of greatness. I receive it with deep gratitude, great humility and a reinforced sense of duty that we have towards those who watch us dream”launched the quadruple African Ballon d’Or.
Before concluding this magnificent message: “Through this symbol, you remind us that excellence never erases its roots, and that success only has meaning when it is shared. Cameroon can be proud of its sons. Proud of your talent, but above all proud of the man you are. Thank you for flying our colors so high and showing the world that true greatness is always combined with memory, respect and fraternity. »
