Love him, hate him or never heard of him, 2017 could be the year Zaza Pachulia makes the NBA All-Star Game.
The veteran Golden State Warriors center appeared near the top of the list in the first release of the NBA’s fan voting, second to only teammate Kevin Durant among Western Conference frontcourt players.
Pachulia, already with 439,675 votes to his name, leads the likes of two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard and three-time All-Star Anthony Davis, not to mention outspoken teammate Draymond Green. He also has more votes than Karl Anthony-Towns, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin and Marc Gasol combined.
LeBron/Kyrie and KD/Curry lead first returns of #NBAAllStar Voting presented by @Verizon!
Vote: https://t.co/7SYpaqHa1f & NBA App. pic.twitter.com/ofvgaJERkT
— #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) January 5, 2017
Pachulia’s rise to stardom actually isn’t so sudden. Last year as a Maverick, in the middle of the best season of his career, Pachulia came within 14,227 votes of starting for the West in the All-Star Game in Toronto.
While a good portion of Pachulia’s votes last year likely came from fans in his home country of Georgia, who have rallied around the 32-year-old as their only representative in the NBA, he also received unexpected support from a handful of celebrities, including Vine star Hayes Grier and rapper Wyclef Jean, who performed a song in Pachulia’s honor.
Shout out to @beraofficial and @wyclef for support. Thankful and humbled. pic.twitter.com/pRUZxp7loA
— Zaza Pachulia (@zaza27) January 15, 2016
Although the 14-year veteran is averaging 5.3 fewer points and 5 fewer rebounds per game this season with the loaded Warriors, he is just as close to being recognized among the NBA’s best, which has some fans pleasantly surprised and others outraged.
Zaza Pachulia already starts the All-Star Game every night with the Warriors.
— Mike Prada. (PRAY-duh) (@MikePradaNBA) January 5, 2017
Zaza Pachulia has 439K votes. More than Kawhi, Kristaps, Green, Davis, Butler, Boogie. This is why All-Star voting is a joke. Must end.
— Chris Palmer (@ChrisPalmerNBA) January 5, 2017
Zaza Pachulia is leading starter front court votes for the all star game? WHAT A JOKE. Glad ridiculous fans don't get 100% say so anymore.
— Lana Summers (@summersblaze) January 5, 2017
Luckily for those NBA fans feeling cheated by the initial votes, Pachulia has little chance of winding up as a starter thanks to the changes commissioner Adam Silver made to the All-Star Game standards.
Starting this year, fans only account for 50 percent of the vote. Current players and select media representatives get the other 50 percent of the final say in a not-so-simple formula.
