Pascal Siakam named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

The accolades keep rolling in for Pascal Siakam! The latest: He’s been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for January 20-26.

Siakam averaged 23.5 points and 9.0 rebounds last week as the Raptors went 4-0 — they’ve currently won seven straight, in fact. He also threw in 2.5 assists per game, and shot 47% from the floor.

Now, if you watched those games, you might be thinking... hmmm, was Pascal really that good last week? And it’s true — to our eyes, he still doesn’t look like his usual explosive self. But that just tells you how far this young man has come. That he can have what looks like an “off week,” and still post numbers like the above, and win four games... and we think it’s underwhelming? Remember when this guy couldn’t shoot outside eight feet or handle the ball for more than one dribble? That was only like two years ago!!

Anyway, it’s another in a deserving line of awards for Siakam, who less than a week ago was named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter, the first such nod of his career. Meanwhile, this is Siakam’s third Player of Week award, and second this season. On the year he’s averaging 23.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists, and finally seems to be rounding back into shape after missing 11 games with a groin injury.

Siakam and the Raptors are back in action on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.