Could last year’s Most Improved Player be Most Improved again? We certainly haven’t seen it before (nobody has ever won the award twice, much less in back-to-back years), but there are some lofty expectations for Pascal Siakam this season, especially with Kawhi’s touches in the offense made available.
ESPN analyst and Los Angeles Sparks forward Chiney Ogwumike suggested that a leap comparable to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s could be in store for Siakam this season. Especially with a chance to be the Raptors’ go-to player on offense this year, Ogwumike thinks an improved one-on-one game would take Siakam to a brand new level in the league.
“Everyone sees through Instagram how these guys train in the summer, right?” says Ogwumike. “He was here in LA, and you just see him working on his one-on-one game and just being able to finish. He has an advantage with his length, his speed, his quickness, his athleticism. Now, it's the one-on-one reads that I expect the jump from."
Considering how Siakam came out of nowhere to reach fringe All-Star status last year, it’s hard to say where his current trajectory could take him next, but all these lofty expectations are definitely within reach for him.
It’s definitely an exciting time to be a Siakam fan. And just wait until 2021, after Siakam’s Giannis-style leap, when the Raptors can team him up with the actual Giannis Antetokounmpo. (This is a joke!!!) (Sort of.)
This is all talk, but if you wanted to see actual results on the hardwood, we have concrete evidence that Siakam continues to get better. Preseason 30-feet range watch, anyone?
h/t YouTube/ESPN
