Zaza Pachulia

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Zaza Pachulia
ზაზა ფაჩულია
Pachulia with the Hawks in 2008Photo by Chris Nelson
Pachulia with the Hawks in 2008
Photo by Chris Nelson
Position Center/Power forward
Height ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Weight 280 lb (130 kg)
League NBA
Team Atlanta Hawks
Jersey #27
Born February 10, 1984 (1984-02-10) (age 24)
Tbilisi, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR
Nationality Georgian
Draft 42nd overall, 2003
Orlando Magic
Pro career 1999–present
Former teams Ülkerspor (1999–2003)
Orlando Magic (2003–04)
Milwaukee Bucks (2004–05)
Official profile Info Page

Zaza Pachulia, born Zaur Pachulia[1] (Georgian: ზაზა ფაჩულია) (born February 10, 1984 in Tbilisi, Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR (present Georgia)), is a Georgian professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.

Pachulia has Turkish dual citizenship.[2]

Contents

[edit] Early athletic career

Pachulia was a very successful basketball player at a very early age in Georgia. He was approximately 6 feet 8 inches (2.04 meters) at the age of 13. He was scouted and recruited by the Turkish professional team Ülkerspor when he was a teenager. He became a member of the national basketball team of Georgia at a young age and led his team as a center to beat other Eastern European rivals, such as Belarus and Bulgaria.

[edit] National Basketball Association

After distinguishing himself with Ülkerspor, Pachulia was drafted in the second round by Orlando Magic in 2003 NBA Draft. Zaza ended up spending the 2004-05 season with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks did not have a contract with Pachulia, because he was traded from the Charlotte Bobcats, by whom he was selected in the 2004 expansion draft. While with the Bucks, Pachulia averaged 6.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game off the bench. After spending one season with the Bucks, the Atlanta Hawks became interested in him.

Pachulia signed a contract with the Atlanta Hawks[1] in the 2005 off-season and became the Hawks' starting center, when he averaged 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game during the 2005-06 season. He began as the starting center during the 2006-07 season but later came off the bench. He currently plays for the Atlanta Hawks.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b HAWKS: Hawks Sign Zaza Pachulia, Aug. 11, 2005; article retrieved March 21, 2007
  2. ^ Turks shining on NBA (Turkish)

[edit] External links