When cameras caught Pascal Siakam during a pre-game prayer huddle with his eyes appearing to roll back, showing mostly the whites, social media exploded with jokes about demons and supernatural possession. The Indiana Pacers forward found himself at the center of viral memes comparing him to characters from “The Exorcist” and suggesting he was accessing “dark magic.”
But the reality was beautifully mundane and deeply human: Siakam was simply praying.
The NBA star revealed that he has a neurological quirk where he struggles to fully close his eyes, even when he thinks they’re closed. During moments of prayer and concentration, something he does multiple times before every game as part of his Catholic faith, his eyes naturally roll upward while remaining partially open, creating an appearance that startled viewers unfamiliar with this natural phenomenon.
When Different Becomes “Demonic”
Siakam’s experience highlights a troubling tendency in our world to label anything unfamiliar as frightening or supernatural. What should be celebrated as a unique physical characteristic instead became fodder for jokes about demonic possession. This reaction reveals our discomfort with human differences and our quick leap to supernatural explanations for natural variations. It also reveals how societies resort to demonizing others, with being labeled ‘demonic’ representing the ultimate judgment of social outcasting for those we see behaving differently than what we hold human.
The irony is profound: a man engaged in one of humanity’s most personal acts of faith—prayer—was characterized as demonic simply because his body functions differently than expected. His moment of spiritual connection became a source of mockery rather than understanding.
The Spectrum of Human Experience
Siakam’s condition reminds us that human bodies and minds exist on vast spectrums of experience. Some people have eyes that behave differently during concentration or rest. Others have neurological differences that affect movement, speech, or behavior. These variations aren’t supernatural, they’re simply part of the rich tapestry of human existence.
Throughout history, societies have often feared what they didn’t understand, attributing spiritual or supernatural causes to natural phenomena. We’ve labeled countless differences as signs of divine punishment or demonic influence. It’s time we move beyond these harmful misconceptions.
Choosing Understanding Over Fear
Siakam handled the situation with remarkable grace, acknowledging the humor while gently educating people about his reality. He didn’t express anger at those who made jokes, but instead offered transparency about his experience. His response models how we might all approach human differences, with curiosity rather than fear, understanding rather than judgment.
Rather than demonizing what we don’t immediately understand, we have an opportunity to celebrate the incredible diversity of human experience. Siakam’s unique characteristic doesn’t make him less human, it makes him distinctly, authentically human in his own way.
Moving Forward with Compassion
The next time we encounter someone whose body or mind works differently than our own, we can choose to learn about it. We can recognize that behind every “unusual” characteristic is a complete human being with their own story, struggles, and sacred moments.
Pascal Siakam’s eyes aren’t demonic, they’re simply his own. And in a world that often pressures us toward conformity, there’s something genuinely beautiful about the reminder that our differences don’t make us less human. They make us more fully ourselves.
In the end, the real magic isn’t supernatural, it’s the very human capacity to pause, to hope, to find meaning in quiet moments before the storm of competition. Whether our eyes are closed, open, or somewhere in between, that space belongs to all of us.
By Sarah Jack, Executive Director, End Witch Hunts