Jun 13, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA: Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reaches for the ball against Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first half during game four of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Pacers' Pascal Siakam Posts Hilarious 5-Word Message on Social Media

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Three-time All-Star Indiana Pacers power forward Pascal Siakam is having some summer fun.

The 6-foot-8 big man, 31, is still coming down off the peaks and valleys of an exciting NBA Finals run with Indiana this past June. The appearance marked Siakam's second Finals berth, following his championship bid with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. The low, of course, was two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton tearing his Achilles tendon during Game 7 of that series.

Now, Indiana faces significant uncertainty heading into its Eastern Conference title defense for 2024-25.

The team that has made two straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances will have to recalibrate its identity without Haliburton, Indiana's best player, or 3-and-D starting center Myles Turner, the Pacers' longest-tenured contributor before ditching the club for a $108.9 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Siakam took to his Instagram for an iconic cinematic reference, with a photo of himself commandeering a boat.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pascal Siakam (@pskills43)

"Fine, I’m the Captain now ," Siakam wrote.

Siakam was referencing the iconic quote from the 2013 Tom Hanks real-life blockbuster "Captain Phillips," uttered by Barkhad Abdi in an Academy Award-nominated turn.

Haliburton himself got into the fun in Siakam's comments section, writing, " bout time."

Granted, the comment was likely uttered mostly in jest — a playful reference to a beloved, and very meme-able, movie.

But it also just so happens to be a fairly accurate appraisal of the club's anticipated hierarchy in 2025-26.

Siakam Very Much Is The Captain Now

The two-time All-NBA Teamer will, by default, assume a larger leadership role for Indiana, as its new best player. Andrew Nembhard will take over Haliburton's starting point guard role, while reserve wing Bennedict Mathurin will replace Nembhard as the club's starting two.

Centers Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, James Wiseman and Tony Bradley will compete for the club's likely three center rotation roles in an effort to compensate for Turner's absence.

But Siakam will be captaining the ship in what's essentially a "gap year" season. Across 78 healthy games for the 50-32 Pacers last season, Siakam averaged 20.2 points on .519/.389/.734 shooting splits, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks a night. His long range shooting in the past hasn't held up in the postseason, but during the Pacers' 2025 playoff run, his sniping beyond the arc was even more efficient. He connected on 42.7 percent of his triple takes.

This article first appeared on Indianapolis Pacers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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