Pascal Siakam discusses role in Darko Rajakovic's offence

Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam discusses how he's acclimating to Darko Rajakovic's offence, working off Scottie Barnes and impressions of Gradey Dick.

Video Transcript

- It's all new for you, but how's it going? New coach, new teammates.

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah.

- New system.

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah, I mean, it's good. I think for me, yeah, just getting-- taking everything in, just being-- like, observing, and just again, continuing to be me. Because at the end of the day, like, I always-- I mean, I think for me, it's just, like, that-- the notion of adapting.

You know, as a team, we all got to adapt, right? Like, we all got to figure out-- like, it's a new coach, right? Like, he's going to come in with his new-- his stuff and his philosophy. But I think for me, like, there's nothing more that I have to adjust than the rest of my teammates, you know, at the end of the day.

But I also believe that I've played in every role, position in the NBA. Like, since the first day I got here, I was-- you know, I was running down the floor. Kyle was throwing the ball, and I'm catching it and dunking it. From you know, getting to the corner and starting developing ball handling, shooting. So like, I've seen everything.

At the end of the day, I think what makes me special is that, like, I'm-- I'm a hooper at the end of the day. Like, when people work out in the summer and they do one-on-one workouts, like, I want to play basketball, just because I want to be able to understand the game, play off of guys, and not just doing drills and be a robot, you know? That's, I think, is my strength as a player.

So yeah, I'm definitely not worried about that. I know that my abilities on the basketball court will always prevail into anything, any situation that I'm put in.

- So with that attitude of OK, I got this, what have you seen as some of the biggest, I guess, differences from all that you've been through in the past since you've been here?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I mean, I think it's probably a little bit more-- for me, again, somebody who's just bringing the ball up, you got the five having the ball in his hands, we got to play off of him, which I'm kind of used to. I've done it with Jakob before.

- Right.

PASCAL SIAKAM: But I think to be honest, nothing that I'm-- that's, like, crazy in my head or anything like that. So I just think that it's basketball. And we're going to have to play basketball at the end of the day.

- Darko said that you're playing in scrimmages. You're off the ball more. You're flashing. You're cutting, which is stuff that you're really familiar with, and that it's working out really well in terms of how the fit is and how you're performing. How do you feel about kind of how this offense could showcase you in a different way?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I don't know. I think we'll find out once we start playing opponents, and we get into games and stuff. So I think it's just a matter of-- like, again, for me, it's just continuing to play off instincts, which is how I play anyway, and just-- like, again, I think the more we do it, the more we grow. And the more we start playing other people, you know, the more we see it. I can't really tell now.

- In terms of how you and Scottie fit, how have you found-- because you guys both like to do some of the same things. How have you found how the offense is allowing you two to work together?

PASCAL SIAKAM: I mean, I think especially right now, as we're just playing, really, it's like every lineup out there, you know? I don't think it's specific lineups. So like I said, it's hard for me to say.

I think we both kind of, like, willing passers. We both can attack. We both can do a lot of things on the floor. So I think that always helps. Like, I don't think it's-- it's a bad thing.

- Fred had such a big presence in the locker room. Has somebody sort of stepped up into that more vocal leadership role? Or has it been more of a leadership by committee, collective early on?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah, I think we got to be a team, right? So at the end of the day, like, just doing that together as a team. And we got a lot more, like, veterans, too. I mean, Garrett, all those guys, even Dennis, he's been in the league for a while. So there's a lot of people that's been in the league for a while. So I think it's-- a lot of people can talk and be vocal. So I think it's just going to be collectively.

- What's the benefit of having so many different leadership perspectives in the room, right? Like, you and OG and guys that have been here for a long time-- there are guys, like you mentioned, that have been various other places. Dennis, who had a really valuable experience over the summer-- how much can the younger guys take from a little bit of a lot of different--

PASCAL SIAKAM: Well, I think it should be a plus for everyone, you know, especially the young guys coming in, learning, just having, like you said, different perspectives, and people from-- that played in different places and that's-- you know, like Thad, that's been in the league for a while. So you just can literally learn everything if you're willing to. So I think it's just that.

- What are your early impressions of Gradey? How receptive has he been to what you-- what the veterans have to say?

PASCAL SIAKAM: Yeah, no, I think he's listening. I think he's listening. Obviously, he's young. Like, he's going to have to learn and-- and continue to get better. But I think the most important thing-- important thing is that he's willing to listen.

Like, when you talk to him, he seems attentive. And that's all you can really ask for.

- Pascal, I don't know if this was already said, but just in terms of your foundation, how important was that for you to collaborate with [INAUDIBLE], and just grow it this summer?

PASCAL SIAKAM: No, that was great. It was awesome. I think for me, obviously, I want to be able to do awesome things for the community. With The PS43 Foundation, it's just-- it's just an amazing thing for me, like, just being able to grow as a person, things that, you know, my rookie year, I wasn't really thinking I would need to do, you know? So now, just growing into that--

And for me, I think the most important thing is just always, like, the testimony from people. Like, we talk to people, like some of the kids in our neighborhood. Like, you know, they're excited because they have the court. They have an opportunity to gather as a community, as friends, and a place to be together. To me, that's the more important thing.

And I just want to make sure that I have that impact, and be able to help. That's something that I'm passionate about. That's something that my dad was passionate about. So it means a lot to me.