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.
The team announced Pachulia’s hiring on Thursday along with naming Steve Kerr’s entire coaching staff and the promotion of ex-forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. to assistant general manager.
I’m super excited and looking forward to it,” Pachulia said in a text message. ‘’It’s going to be a fun process”
Pachulia recently concluded a 16-year NBA career, playing most recently for the Warriors after appearing for Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons.
Welcome back, @zaza27!
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) August 29, 2019
Zaza Pachulia has rejoined the Warriors as a Consultant. pic.twitter.com/d9CqtmeBYN
Originally selected by Milwaukee Bucks with 42nd overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Pachulia averaged 6.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.3 minutes over 1098 career games. Pachulia won two NBA championships with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018.
Zaza Pachulia played with the Georgian team three times in the final stage of the European Championship (2011, 2015, 2017). In the fall of 2017 Georgian basketballer ended his national basketball team career.
Pachulia was awarded the Order of Honour, one of the major state prizes of the country bestowed by the president, for his achievements in developing the sport in Georgia and representing the country abroad.