Peyton Siva

Peyton Siva
Peyton Siva
Born	Peyton Robert Siva Jr.; October 24, 1990 (age 36); Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Former professional basketball player, collegiate coach
Years active	2009–2023 (player)
Known for	Louisville Cardinals basketball player, 2013 NCAA champion

Peyton Robert Siva Jr. (born October 24, 1990) is an American former professional basketball player and current collegiate coach. Presently, he serves as an assistant coach with the Louisville Cardinals competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). During his collegiate career at Louisville, Siva played a pivotal role in guiding the team to two Final Four appearances, culminating in a national championship during his senior year. He was chosen as the 56th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 2013 NBA draft.

Early life and education

Of Samoan heritage, Siva was raised in a difficult neighborhood in Seattle. His mother supported the family by working three jobs, while his father faced addiction issues and was largely absent from his life. At one point, Siva courageously intervened to stop his father from attempting suicide. Motivated to alter his life path, he committed himself to athletics, overcoming early physical disadvantages to establish himself as a tenacious competitor in both football and basketball. He abstained from alcohol and drugs and actively contributed to deterring local youth from gang involvement by hosting safe weekend events at his home.

High school career

Siva attended Franklin High School, where he quickly distinguished himself as an exceptional athlete. In his freshman year, he averaged 13.5 points per game and played a key role in Franklin securing the 4A state championship. By his senior season, he posted averages of 18.1 points, 5.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game, leading Franklin to win the Class 3A state title. His outstanding performance earned him several accolades such as a unanimous AP Washington Player of the Year award, selection to the McDonald's All-American team, and recognition as Washington Mr. Basketball.

High school awards and honors

2009 McDonald's All-American selection
2009 Washington Mr. Basketball
2009 AP Washington boys high school Player of the Year
2009 Seattle Times boys high school Player of the Year
2009 Washington Class 3A State Champion
2009 Class 3A State Tournament MVP
2009 Metro League MVP
2009 Third-team Parade All-American

Freshman year

In his freshman campaign during the 2009–10 season, Siva appeared in 31 games, averaging 11.3 minutes per contest while serving as backup to senior starter Edgar Sosa. Despite dealing with a wrist injury, he managed to deliver at least three assists in eleven games and achieved a personal best of 14 points against West Virginia. Louisville secured a notable victory over top-ranked Syracuse, winning 78–68 in the final matchup at Freedom Hall prior to relocating to the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals ended the season with a 20–13 record, finishing tied for fifth place in the Big East with an 11–7 conference mark. Their postseason run concluded with a narrow second-round loss to Cincinnati, falling 66–69 in the Big East tournament. Louisville received an at-large bid to the 2010 NCAA tournament as a No. 9 seed in the South Region but was eliminated in the first round by No. 8 seed California, losing 62–77.

Sophomore year

During his second collegiate season, Siva started in 35 contests, averaging 28 minutes on the court, with 9.9 points and 5.2 assists per game, ranking second in assists across the Big East Conference. He delivered decisive layups to clinch one-point wins against West Virginia and Connecticut. Siva received honorable mention honors for the 2011 All-Big East Men's Basketball Team and was selected for the 2011 Big East men's basketball tournament All-Tournament Team after posting averages of 12 points, 7.7 assists, and 5.3 rebounds as Louisville advanced to the championship round. The Cardinals concluded the season with a 25–10 record, tying for third place in the Big East at 12–6, but suffered a first-round upset in the 2011 NCAA tournament against #13 seed Morehead State, losing 61–62.

Junior year

In the 2011–12 campaign, Siva encountered difficulties early on, shooting below 25% from beyond the arc and committing several turnovers. Under the guidance of Louisville coach Rick Pitino, who encouraged him to concentrate fully on basketball and academics, Siva rebounded significantly. He was named Most Outstanding Player at the 2012 Big East men's basketball tournament, averaging 13.8 points and 5.8 assists throughout the event. Louisville advanced to the Final Four of the 2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, overcoming top-ranked Michigan State and Florida before being eliminated by rival and eventual champion Kentucky. Over the season, he averaged 9.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, contributing to a 30–10 overall record.

Senior year

Prior to the 2012–13 season, Louisville entered as favorites to claim the Big East title, with Siva honored as Big East Preseason Player of the Year and named to both writers’ and coaches’ first teams. The Cardinals finished with a 26–5 overall record (14–4 in conference play), sharing the regular-season championship alongside Georgetown and Marquette. Siva guided Louisville to capture the Big East tournament crown and earned Most Outstanding Player honors for a second straight year—joining Patrick Ewing as one of only two players to achieve this feat twice. He set a tournament record by recording seven steals in the semifinals and became Louisville’s all-time leader with 236 career steals. Entering the NCAA tournament as the top overall seed with a 35–5 record, Siva also garnered recognition as a 2012–13 Academic All-America selectee, was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, and received the distinguished Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, given to the premier Division I senior under six feet tall. Louisville went on to defeat Michigan en route to winning the 2013 NCAA men’s basketball national championship.

College awards and honors

2011 All-Big East Honorable Mention
2011 Big East All-Tournament Team
2012 NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team
2012 Big East Tournament Most Valuable Player
2013 Big East Tournament Most Valuable Player
2013 NCAA National Champion
2013 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award Recipient
2013 American Eagle Outfitters Big East Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2013 Academic All-American
2013 All-Big East Third Team

Detroit Pistons (2013–2014)

Siva was chosen as the 56th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He participated in the 2013 NBA Summer League with the Pistons and officially signed with the organization on August 5, 2013. Throughout the season, he was assigned several times to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA Development League before being brought back to Detroit. After competing in the 2014 NBA Summer League, Siva was released by the Pistons on July 15, 2014.

Orlando Magic (2014)

On September 29, 2014, Siva inked a deal with the Orlando Magic but was waived less than a month later on October 25, 2014. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Erie BayHawks as an affiliate player on October 30.

Juvecaserta Basket (2015–2016)

Siva signed with Juvecaserta Basket of Italy’s Serie A on August 12, 2015, for the 2015–16 campaign. He distinguished himself by leading the league in assists, averaging 6.5 per game.

Alba Berlin (2016–2021)

On June 22, 2016, Siva committed to a two-year contract with Alba Berlin. Serving as the starting point guard, he played a pivotal role in securing two BBL titles for the team in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, he earned a place on the All-Basketball Bundesliga Team in 2018.

New Zealand Breakers (2021–2022)

Siva signed with the New Zealand Breakers for the 2021–22 NBL season on August 22, 2021. Unfortunately, he sustained a grade 2 hamstring tear during his second game, which sidelined him for up to eight weeks. He made his return to action on January 9, 2022.

Panathinaikos (2022)

On April 28, 2022, Siva joined Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League for the remainder of that season. Over 12 league appearances, he averaged 2.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while playing approximately 17 minutes per contest.

Illawarra Hawks (2022–2023)

Siva signed with the Illawarra Hawks on October 19, 2022, to finish out the 2022–23 NBL season. However, on January 5, 2023, he was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a severe AC joint injury sustained during a New Year's Eve matchup against the Perth Wildcats.

Regular season

|- | align="left" | | align="left" | Detroit | 24 || 0 || 9.3 || .316 || .280 || .733 || .6 || 1.4 || .4 || .0 || 2.3 |- | colspan=2 align="center" | Career | 24 || 0 || 9.3 || .316 || .280 || .733 || .6 || 1.4 || .4 || .0 || 2.3

Personal life

Siva is a committed Christian and actively participates in Louisville’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes. After intervening to dissuade his father from suicide, their relationship grew stronger; his father subsequently stopped using drugs but continues to battle alcohol dependency with gradual progress. His siblings have distanced themselves from criminal behavior, and his mother—who juggled three jobs during his upbringing—is now employed as a drug counselor. During his final collegiate season at Louisville, Siva ranked among the most searched college basketball players.

Shortly following graduation, he married his longtime partner Patience McCroskey on July 27, 2013, at Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center, marking that venue’s inaugural wedding event.

External links