Paisami, 21,was born in Samoa but grew up in Auckland before moving to Melbourne with his family as a 17-year-old.
"My favourite player was Ma'a Nonu because he could do everything ... ball-carry, pass, kick, he was unreal," he told Brisbane's Courier Mail this week ahead of Friday night's game against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
The Courier Mail claimed Paisami - 1.80m and 92kg and devoid of dreadlocks - is no "mini-Ma'a" yet, but the tyro midfielder's first memory of rugby was watching Nonu at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia.