#NBAvote ZazaPachulia:
Georgian basketballer thrilled despite not chosen for All-Star game

The game is over for Georgia’s legendary basketball centre Zaza Pachulia, who had an outstanding NBA season playing for the Dallas Mavericks.

Even though the small gap of 14,000 votes separated him from the top three in the Western Conference frontcourt positions in the All-Star game, Pachulia was delighted with the global support he received from his fans.

On social media the Georgian basketballer thanked his supporters for voting in the All-Star game, noting the emotional significance of the amount of support he received:

Special thanks to everyone for such recognition and support. These days will become the most memorable of my life. Your love and support mean more than my selection for the All-Star game," 31-year-old Pachulia told his Facebook followers.

The Georgian centre gained 768,112 votes, ranking him fourth and about 14,000 votes behind third spot in the Western Conference frontcourt positions.

Despite not featuring in the top three spots which guaranteed a place in the All-Star match, the number of votes for Pachulia shocked basketball commentators and fans in the United States and further abroad.

Hosts of the daily NBA show The Starters were particularly impressed with the preliminary results while discussing the support Pachulia received from his home country.

The show’s presenters ultimately dedicated its two editions to Pachulia's case and compiled a collection of the Georgian player's top moments in the sport:

This year Pachulia enjoyed the best season of his NBA career; averaging 10.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per match for the Dallas Mavericks.

The 2016 NBA All-Star game will take place on February 14 in Toronto, Canada. There is a small chance Pachulia will play in the All-Star game and to do so he must be named by the game’s coach.