Basketball
Pascal Siakam on consistency, longevity, and staying ready in his career
Pascal Siakam officially has his own Red Bull Energy Drink can. He’s a three-time NBA All-Star, campaigning for his fourth. But ten years into his career, his sights remain fixed on one goal.
Seeing his face on a Red Bull can surprised Pascal Siakam. It wasn’t something he dreamed about as a kid. There was no checklist that included brand launches or packaging with his likeness. And yet, standing where he is now, he recognizes it for what it represents: longevity. Consistency. Trust earned over time. “It’s an incredible honor,” he says. “Something I never really dreamed of.”
The launch reflects his character. Established. Enduring. The character that’s made him a dominant fixture in an ever-changing league.
There are critical moments in an NBA career when the noise is deafening. Trades swirl. Rosters shift. Injuries linger. Expectations change. For Siakam, those moments haven’t been hypothetical, they’ve been defining. “You can either sink or swim,” he says. “And I’m not a quitter.” But as he moves through another demanding season – his 10th – his approach remains remarkably steady: show up, get the work in, protect the energy, and keep going.
Siakam doesn’t frame persistence as something heroic. To him, it’s simply the alternative to quitting. His mindset is quiet and practical, and it’s what has carried him through the ebbs and flows of a constantly changing league.
Pascal Siakam didn’t start playing organized basketball until the age of 17
© Grant Moxley
After reaching the Finals a year ago, the following season didn’t open the way he or his team envisioned. Injuries piled up. Wins were harder to come by. The easy thing would’ve been to loosen focus, to wait for circumstances to improve. Instead, Siakam narrowed his focus even more.
“It’s about finding improvement every single day,” he says. “That’s the way I see it.”
Year ten in the league brings clarity. Not necessarily less ambition, but sharper awareness. Siakam understands his body better now, understands how to balance intensity with restraint. Staying elite, he’s learned, isn’t just about how hard you push – it’s about knowing when not to.
“I still want to be consistent without burning myself out,” he explains. “That’s the most important thing with a long season.”
His mornings rarely change. That’s by design. No matter how the previous night went, whether the Indiana Pacers are coming off a win or a frustrating loss, Siakam starts every day the same way. He gets into the gym early and puts up shots, his reset button.
“That’s my constant,” he says. “I know I can go back to that.”
A profession defined by constant motion, consistency becomes a form of control. Siakam’s routine isn’t flashy, but deliberate. It’s where confidence gets rebuilt without outside validation. The NBA season doesn’t just test skill, it tests stamina. Physical and mental.
Pascal Siakam became an NBA champion at 26
© Grant Moxley
You have to find time to recover, rest, eat well, and when you need a little boost of energy, you have your Red Bull. You need all the tools.
Siakam approaches energy as something to be managed holistically. Nutrition matters. Recovery matters. Rest matters.
On days when the schedule tightens and the body feels the miles, those tools become essential support; small advantages that help him stay sharp when it counts. What tests resilience most isn’t a single setback, it’s accumulation. The slow build of frustration when progress doesn’t match effort. When seasons start slower than expected. “It tests your patience,” Siakam admits.
That’s where mental toughness takes over. For Siakam, toughness isn’t about ignoring disappointment, it’s about moving through it without losing belief. About choosing to continue when stopping would be easier. “Hopefully we can get people back from injuries,” he says. “Have a little run. Win some games in a row.”
But hope for a pro is always paired with work. This is where Siakam’s current moment comes into view.
Pascal has been selected as an NBA All-Star three times (2020, 2023, 2025)
© Grant Moxley
So he stays grounded. Focused on the day to day. On being the best version of himself for his team. If the accolade comes, it comes. If not, the work doesn’t change. But for all the talk of recognition, his ultimate goal remains unchanged: Winning.
“Winning is always the main thing. Every day I go in the gym is wanting to get better and also win. That's my focus. Last year we came up short,”. Siakam said. “My goal is to contribute to win that championship. That's the ultimate reward of hard work and dedication. That's the goal.”