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Raptors’ Siakam plays for late father every step of the way

MILWAUKEE—It’s a constant reminder to Pascal Siakam: a reminder of who he is, where he’s from, what’s important in life.

Siakam, the emerging star who is now central to whatever successes his team enjoys, has taken to writing “RIP, Dad” on his shoes for each Raptors playoff game, a very public reminder of very private pain, the pain of losing a parent.

Every game.

All the time.

It’s never out of his mind.

“It feels like I’m doing something right,” Siakam said of the nightly tribute. “It reminds me what I’m doing this for, what I play for.