Pascal Siakam Is the Story — and the Debate
New Mexico State's most prominent NBA alumni story this week has nothing to do with a box score. It has everything to do with respect — and dollars.
Pascal Siakam, the Aggie-turned-Pacer, finds himself at the center of two overlapping conversations that will define Indiana's next chapter: a contract extension decision that could reshape the franchise, and a league ranking that, by most reasonable measures, gets him badly wrong.
The Rankings Slight
A recent NBA power forward ranking slotted Siakam eighth at his position — a number that doesn't square with his résumé. Sports Illustrated made the case plainly: Siakam's playoff success, two-way impact, and year-in, year-out consistency put him well above where the list landed him. For a player who has already won an NBA championship, logged significant postseason minutes as a genuine difference-maker, and held his own on both ends of the floor, eighth is a tough number to defend.
It's the kind of ranking that tends to age poorly. Siakam has never been the most discussed name in a given offseason conversation, but he has a habit of being exactly where his team needs him when the games matter most — a quality that doesn't always translate cleanly into preseason listicles.
The Extension Question
The more consequential storyline is what Indiana does next. Siakam is eligible for a contract extension with the Pacers, and the front office faces a genuine fork in the road: lock up their star forward now, or let the situation play out another year and risk a messier negotiation — or worse, an exit.
The Pacers have built something real around Siakam since acquiring him. He's not a complementary piece; he's the anchor. Letting that uncertainty linger heading into a season with legitimate playoff aspirations carries its own risks. But committing long-term to a player on the back half of his prime demands the kind of conviction that front offices don't always have in the moment.
Sports Illustrated framed it as a decision that "could shape their future" — and that's not hyperbole. Whether Indiana extends Siakam now or waits, the outcome sets the tone for the franchise's competitive window.
The Other Aggies
Elsewhere in the NBA, Trevelin Queen remains on the Orlando Magic roster as a shooting guard, and Sir'Jabari Rice is with the San Antonio Spurs. Neither generated significant news during the period, but both represent New Mexico State's quiet but steady pipeline into professional basketball.
For now, though, it's Siakam carrying the Aggie flag at the highest volume — undervalued in the rankings, underestimated in the broader conversation, and at the center of a decision that will echo well beyond this season.
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