Pascal Siakam may have mastered slam dunks on the court, but through his PS43 foundation and the Data Dunkers program, he is teaching students to score big in life.
The 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward, who played nine years for the Toronto Raptors, reflected on the pinnacle of his career — winning the NBA Championship in 2019. He arrived at the Humber Polytechnic’s North campus gym on Dec. 2 to set the stage for an event that blended basketball's passion with the power of data science.
For Siakam, the moment he slid the championship ring onto his finger was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, not just for himself but for his family and fans.
“I think probably the best moment of my career was winning the championship here. To this day, it still brings the same excitement when people talk about it,” he said.
The former Toronto Raptor and current Indiana Pacer, made a special appearance at the program before facing his former team at Scotiabank Arena, captivating the audience with his story of resilience and determination.
Despite facing his former team that he once called home, his heart still goes out to the people of Toronto.
Hosted in collaboration with Dell Technologies and Siakam’s foundation, the Data Dunkers program celebrated its innovative approach to education, inspiring students through basketball statistics and coding.
Siakam’s journey to the NBA began late, at age 16, a fact he shared with students to highlight the value of perseverance.
“Basketball wasn’t my first sport. I had to learn faster and work harder than others to catch up,” he said.
Siakam said programs like Data Dunkers equip students with skills and opportunities he didn’t have.
“You already have that benefit of starting to learn these things right now,” he said.
Siakam reflected on one of the most challenging moments of his life: the loss of his father.
“That was a big moment for me where I could either quit or work harder,” he said. “It just gave me a purpose. I wasn’t playing basketball only for me. I was playing for my family and all the people I care about.”
Siakam used this lesson to inspire students, urging them to find motivation in their dreams and the people they love.
“If you have a dream, don’t do it just for yourself. Do it for the people you love. It pushes you to move on,” he said.
The Data Dunkers initiative introduces students to the fundamentals of data science through the lens of basketball.
By merging sports and technology, the program provides students with hands-on experience in coding, data analysis, and visualization, preparing them for future careers while keeping the learning process fun and engaging.
Katina Papulkas, senior education strategist at Dell Technologies, highlighted the program’s mission.
“Data is everything. This program teaches students to understand, analyze, and visualize data, preparing them for future careers while making it fun through basketball,” she said.
The program combines the excitement of playing basketball with essential data skills that are introduced and taught to the students participating.
“We’re bridging technology and sports to create meaningful learning experiences,” she said.
The idea for Data Dunkers stemmed from Dell’s earlier program, Girls Who Game, which focuses on engaging girls in STEM through gaming.
“It goes back to another program called Girls Who Game where we really focus on girls and gaming and getting them into the STEM space,” she said.
Siakam’s PS43 Foundation approached Dell to collaborate, and together, they designed Data Dunkers to combine their strengths: Siakam’s expertise in basketball and Dell’s focus on technology.
“We recognized the importance of data, especially in the world of AI, and decided to create a program that combines data science with basketball stats,” Papulkas shared.
Students from different schools under the Toronto Catholic District School Board were chosen to be a part of the event.
Students like Rui Neves Guiomar, who participated in the program, found new perspectives through the initiative.
“It made me realize there’s more to basketball than just playing. It’s about the stats, the strategy, and the data behind the game,” he said.
Guiomar also showed his appreciation to his teachers for encouraging him to partake in Siakam’s PS43 Foundation.
“I really liked the Data Dunkers program. It was very fun and I'm greatly thankful for my teachers who told me to join the program,” Guiomar said.
Kimberly Dixon, Superintendent of Education at the Toronto Catholic District School Board, praised the program’s impact.
“Students were initially skeptical about coding, but now they’re excited to see how math and data science apply to real life,” she said.
Programs like Data Dunkers demonstrate the potential of non-traditional learning paths to engage students and provide them with future-ready skills.
“Well, that's a whole idea for me, especially as the superintendent of math, is that we want kids to see math outside of the math period and in everyday life,” she said.
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The Data Dunkers program reflects Siakam’s belief in the power of education.
“I always tell my team, Dakota, and my sister Melissa, we’re not just teaching basketball. We’re teaching life skills. Education will take you further than anything else,” he said.
Siakam concluded the Data Dunkers program with a powerful message for the students who participated.
“Keep going, no matter what. Work hard, dream big, and don’t let anyone tell you it’s impossible. No matter how crazy you think your dream is, it’s possible,” he said.
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