It Is A Small World

Kristaps Porzingis is leading a revolution in the NBA, which is being dominated by players from every corner of the globe.

- Mark Bechtel

When the results of the first round of fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game were released, there was one huge surprise. The second-leading vote getter among front court players in the Western Conference was a 32-year-old journeyman who was averaging barely five points and five rebounds per game: Zaza Pachulia. The Warriors center had more votes than superstars such as Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs, Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans, and Golden State teammate Draymond Green.

How did Pachulia, who had scored more than 10 points in a game only three times all year, get so much support? The big guy is a native of Georgia— the European country, not the American state. Fans in his homeland were so eager to get their countryman into the game that they stuffed the virtual ballot box. The Facebook page of one of the country’s largest banks posted detailed instructions on how to vote for Pachulia.

Pachulia ended up missing out on an All-Star spot. (Starters were determined by a combination of fan votes, media votes, and player votes.) But the support he received showed once again just how popular the NBA has become outside of the United States. The game has rabid fans in all corners of the globe—and they have more local heroes than ever to root for.

Making Their Mark

Pachulia is one of 113 players from 41 foreign countries who were on NBA rosters when this season began. That’s an all-time record, and it represents a serious increase. In 1999, only 40 foreign-born players were in the league.