As soon as he landed at the airport of his home country, Zaza Pachulia seemingly relived the Warriors’ championship parade in Oakland. In reality, Pachulia was greeted by friends, family and Warriors fans in Tbilisi in the Republic of Georgia.
Even for someone who returns every offseason, Pachulia did not fully anticipate what he saw when he visited his homeland in early August. Pachulia says it’s “the slowest month in Georgia” since plenty of its citizens take extended vacations to unwind and escape from the country’s humidity.
None of those variables mattered, as Pachulia took the Larry O’Brien trophy to the Republic of Georgia to celebrate his first NBA championship in 14 seasons.
“There were still thousands of people that came to the trophy celebration,” Pachulia recalled in an interview with Bay Area News Group. “You can feel the energy and the vibe around you.”
Pachulia expected smiliar vibes Wednesday at Oracle Arena. Warriors fans who attended the game vs. the Grizzlies received bobbleheads that capture Pachulia’s likeness and feature the Georgian flag. Georgian singers were also scheduled to perform the American national anthem.
“Having your own bobblehead is kind of cool. This is an honor. It’s cool and something that will stay on my shelf,” said Pachulia, before touching on hearing native Georgians singing the American national anthem. “I feel like it’s good for both sides. I’m so lucky to have this opportunity to make both sides happy.”
Pachulia said he has felt lucky lately for a number of reasons.
After winning his first NBA title, Pachulia re-signed with the Warriors on a one-year deal worth $3.1 million in hopes of winning another. On Aug. 7, Pachulia received the Order of Honor from Georgia President Giorgi Margverlashvili, a prestigious award bestowed upon citizens who make an outstanding contribution to the country.
Pachulia has helped his native country through the national team and his self-named academy. And he remains grateful and inspired in becoming the first player from the Republic of Georgia to win an NBA title.
“The love of this game has been with me since I heard the word basketball itself,” Pachulia said. “The love is even deeper right now. The more time you spend, the more effort you spend in doing something.”
At age 8, Pachulia’s love for basketball mirrored someone becoming attracted to looks over substance. Pachulia’s late father wanted his son to wrestle. Pachulia’s mother wanted him to play basketball after starring for the former Soviet Union’s women’s basketball team. Pachulia’s mom won the argument when she showed Zaza a photo of a basketball player. He found a basketball player more visually appealing because of height and muscle.
“I chose the right route, even though my dad was a little bit pissed at the beginning,” Pachulia said, laughing. “Then of course, he respected my decision. He was loving it.”
Pachulia’s infatuation quickly morphed into something more substantial. In the winter of 1997, he was called to the principal’s office, and it was not because he was in trouble. The Turkish national team wanted him after becoming intrigued with the 13-year-old’s size (6-feet-4) and potential.
The idea seemed enticing. After all, Pachulia spent his childhood in Georgia practicing in a freezing gym that required him to wear a hat, sweater and double layers of pants. In Istanbul, Turkey, Pachulia would join the country’s junior circuit while attending school. And yet …
“It wasn’t easy to leave the country. To make the decision to leave everything? I was born and raised with all my friends and family members,” Pachulia said. “It was a huge step in my career. Now you’re committed to basketball.”
Pachulia made that commitment because his parents showed their commitment to move with him. More challenges awaited, though. In the summer of 1998, Pachulia’s father died during a routine doctor’s visit. Pachulia’s mom still worked various jobs to supplement his income with the national team to keep the hoops dream alive.
“Losing my dad made me more mature,” Pachulia said. “Being an only child, I didn’t have the right to act childish. I had to step up. I was earning money already in Turkey. I felt like I needed to protect the family and protect my mom and be a man.”
Without that maturity and monetary support to attend private school, Pachulia believed he would have never made it to the NBA. Instead, the Orlando Magic drafted a 19-year-old Pachulia with the 42nd pick of the 2003 NBA draft.
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