Basketball star Zaza Pachulia invites injured Georgian service member for NBA game
NBA player Pachulia (left) invited Buadze, who served in NATO's Afghanistan mission, to attend an NBA game on Monday. Photos: President of Georgia press office/army.mil.
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A Georgian service member injured in NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan was able to enjoy the atmosphere of a National Basketball Association (NBA) match in Washington on Monday, thanks to Georgia's basketball star Zaza Pachulia.
Senior Lieutenant Iveri Buadze, wounded in September 2017 during his service in the mission, was invited by Pachulia, a centre for Detroit Pistons, for the team's fixture against Washington Wizards.
The Georgian Armed Forces service member was on the stands at the Capital One Arena, following the action of the match that ended with a score 101-87 in the Wizards' favour.
Pachulia also met Buadze after the game for a talk, with commentators for the game noting the "wonderful story" of Georgia's most successful basketball player and the service member of the country's armed forces.
Buadze was initially treated at a hospital in Germany and continued his recovery at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Washington.
Last year he was visited by former Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili at the medical venue, with the injured senior lieutenant sharing with the PM his pride of having served in the armed forces.
Pachulia, who made history by becoming the first Georgian player to win the NBA champion's title in 2017, is playing for the Pistons during the ongoing NBA season, after moving to the team from Golden State Warriors.
The 34-year old was awarded the Order of Honour, one of the major state prizes of Georgia, for his achievements in developing the local sport and representing the country abroad.
Pachulia is also a recipient of the state's Knight of Sports title, for his contribution to the promotion of Georgian basketball on the international arena.
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Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has awarded the title of Knight of Sports to Zaza Pachulia, the former captain of the Georgian national basketball team and power forward for the Golden State Warriors, the current NBA champions.
Georgia's first National Basketball Association (NBA) champion Zaza Pachulia has been awarded the Order of Honour, one of the major state prizes of the country, for his achievements in developing the sport in Georgia and representing the country abroad.
Georgia’s seated basketball team took gold in the wheelchair basketball competition defeating the US team at the 2019 Marine Corps Trials in California. Georgia received 34 medals in various competitions of the Marine Corps Trials since its start on February 24.
Young basketball player Goga Bitadze collected the EuroLeague Rising Star Trophy, an award distinguishing brightest new talent in Europe's major tournament, on Saturday.
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Georgia's NBA champion Zaza Pachulia will return to the Golden State Warriors as a team consultant on both the business and basketball side, renewing his work with the team he shared the titles with over the past two seasons.
Iveri Buadze, a Georgian servicemember injured in a blast while serving in the Resolute Support peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan in 2017, has been awarded the Presiden'ts Medal for Military Courage and promoted in recognition of his service on Monday.