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Raptors legend Pascal Siakam snaps at reporter who had bizarre Caitlin Clark exchange

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'You good bro? You're looking for something I know, but damn.'

Published May 30, 2025 • Last updated 7 minutes ago • 2 minute read

Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket against Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 29, 2025 in New York City.

Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket against Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 29, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Al Bello /Getty Images North America

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An Indiana columnist with a knack for going viral is at it again, this time with some help from former Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam.

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Siakam, who has helped lead the Indiana Pacers within a game of the NBA Finals and consecutive conference finals berths, got into it with Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star on Thursday.

Indiana had just lost Game 5 to the New York Knicks 111-94 with Siakam having his worst game of a strong series.

Siakam — who was always polite with the Toronto media in his 7.5 seasons with the Raptors before being traded but was never afraid to ask reporters to clarify questions he didn’t understand or thought were just trying to get attention — clearly was on to what he thought Doyel was up to.

The exchange was about whether Jalen Brunson and the Knicks simply played harder in the game.

“It’s OK. We played hard, they played harder,” Siakam said, before getting frustrated by Doyel’s interjections.

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“What’s your point, I don’t get it? You good, bro? You’re looking for something I know, but damn,” Siakam said.

“I don’t know what else you want me to tell you.”

Siakam then asks: “Who is this guy. What’s your name, bro?” When told, he seems to recognize the name, and says: “Oh.”

Pascal Siakam went back and forth with a reporter after Siakam said he believed the Knicks played harder than the Pacers in Game 5

"It's okay. We played hard, they played harder. What's your point, I don't get it? You good bro? You're looking for something I know, but damn" pic.twitter.com/65lwlzgas7

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 30, 2025

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Siakam shot only 5-for-13 in the game and 4-for-8 from the free throw line. The team’s top player, Tyrese Haliburton, coming off an incredible performance to put New York on the brink, had an even worse game than Siakam, scoring only eight points.

Doyel had previously made major waves for his bizarre exchange with WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, of the Indiana Fever.

It started last April when Doyel introduced himself to Clark by doing the heart-shaped hand gesture she did for her family during certain moments of games.

“I like that you’re here,” Doyel said when Clark asked him if he liked the gesture.

“I do that at my family after every game,” Clark said, to which Doyel responded: “Start doing it to me and we’ll get along just fine.”

Doyel ended up getting suspended for two weeks by the Indianapolis Star, and appeared not to attend a Fever game in her rookie season.

He has since returned to covering the team.

Reporter: 🫶

Caitlin Clark: "You like that?"

Reporter: "I like that you're here."

Caitlin: "Yeah, I do that at my family after every game.”

Reporter: "Start doing it to me and we'll get along just fine."

Caitlin: 😳

(via @IndianaFever / YT)pic.twitter.com/BBjU881K7a

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 17, 2024

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Doyel, who has a history of being a lightning rod on social media, apologized in a subsequent column. “In my haste to be clever, to be familiar and welcoming (or so I thought), I offended Caitlin and her family,” he wrote. “After going through denial, and then anger – I’m on the wrong side of this? Me??? – I now realize what I said and how I said it was wrong, wrong, wrong.”

— With files from the Washington Post

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