	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 22, 2017

Zaza Pachulia

Oakland, California

Q. I saw earlier in August you took the trophy back to Georgia. What was that experience like? And what was the reception you got from the people over there? Just looked like a pretty cool moment for you.
ZAZA PACHULIA: It was amazing experience. I was definitely looking forward to it, especially after winning the championship and having the parade here. My mind was all about going back home and celebrating this amazing achievement with my people, with my country.

So unfortunately I couldn't go for some personal reasons, I couldn't go until August. But it was very unfortunate; I picked the hottest month of the year, and it was totally worth it.

Obviously with the All-Star voting and all those numbers, probably could tell that people support you, love you, but, man, I saw everything live, every step, every building I entered or every person I met in the street in the building, you name it, anywhere, they were showing so much love and smiley faces, happy faces.

So it was really special, special moment for me throughout the whole stay in Georgia. And I'm never going to forget it. I'm really glad to have the opportunity to do something special, represent my country and make my country, my people proud. And it kind of motivates me to do more from now on.

Q. Kind of based on what he talked about about going back home. But what was your most memorable experience over the summer, either the craziest or a fanatical experience with a fan?
ZAZA PACHULIA: It's very hard to come up with one particular moment. I'm telling you the whole summer has been amazing and unforgettable for me. And I really mean it when I say I'm never going to forget it. This is a special summer, 2017.

Everything, from top to bottom, it was great. It was great. And I'm thankful to experience every second of it. Sorry I can't come up with one particular moment, but the whole summer was amazing.

Q. Last year the three centers were all new. You all came in here, didn't maybe know what to expect. Now you've all got a year under your belt. You're all back, which I think is a big surprise to most of us. I mean, how do you take it to the next step with the three guys, knowing how things unfolded last year?
ZAZA PACHULIA: I had a conversation with Connor the other day about the situation, how different it is from last year to this year's training camp.

Personally, for me, and I think for the team, having new guys, it's already a risk from the management standpoint, always a risk from the coaching standpoint and from the players because you don't know what to expect.

Even though he played against this team a lot of times, it's different when you go into details and the system and how you're going to fit, your role, et cetera, et cetera.

So honestly, personally with me, I feel really confident this year. To be successful, it takes so much. A lot of things he has to pay attention to it. Small details is going to help you win a championship.

So last year, honestly, this time, training camp, I was thinking a lot, at the beginning of the season I was thinking a lot, watching a lot of film, trying to find the best fit for myself and help the team and getting to know my teammates and their strengths and the comfort zones, et cetera, not only for myself but for my teammates as well because this is a team sport.

But this year I think we have a luxury and an opportunity to pay attention to the small details so we can move to the next level.

We already know each other. We already know what to expect from each other. I already know my role. Even just to know you guys, know the personnel, not only the coaches but the front office people, everybody, just makes me so much confident to be back and to come every day in practice and do something extra and work on the small details going to make me better and have the opportunity to help this team basically.

So totally two different kind of years and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Q. When the season ended with the championship, how certain were you that you would be back on this team; and how confident were you that David and JaVale would be back as well?
ZAZA PACHULIA: Well, right after the season, honestly, I was enjoying the championship, and there's so many great days and those days didn't allow me to think about the free agency, honestly.

But obviously Warriors showed their interest right away, and I was pretty confident that I was going to be okay. But I respected the free agency process, went through the process and listened to some offers and talked to some people. But at the end of the day I think I made the right decision.

Q. Were you surprised at all thinking you got all the centers back?
ZAZA PACHULIA: You know, not really. Because when something is working, let it work. So I'm glad that there are guys that are back. We kept it very similar to pretty much the same team and good to see those guys back and we're going to go for another one.

Q. Steve was just up here and said he expects you guys to decide as a team in the coming days about whether to go the White House. And with your experience with this group last year, what is sort of your take on how those discussions will go and your outlook on this?
ZAZA PACHULIA: I don't know what's going to be the result, but in case, just in case I still -- I went to the white house, the Georgian white house, in my country. I saw the president. It was great. So no matter what happens, I still did it.

But I don't know. We're going to talk about it. It's hard for me to say anything particular. A lot of guys just saw -- some guys that saw it for the first time after the last year, after last season's finish.

So I'm sure we're going to talk about it. But I don't know when and how it's going to go. I can't tell anything right now.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297