Otar Korkia 1923 – 2005

Biography

Otar Korkia was born on May 10, 1923, in Kutaisi, Georgia, during a transformative period in his country’s history. He would go on to become a notable figure in Soviet basketball, dedicating much of his life to the sport both as a player and coach. His career spanned decades of development for basketball in the Soviet Union, a time when the sport was growing in popularity and competitive level across the region.

Throughout his professional life, Korkia contributed to Soviet basketball during an era when the sport was becoming increasingly organized and competitive. As both a player and coach, he was part of the generation that helped establish basketball as a significant athletic pursuit in Georgia and the broader Soviet sphere. His work helped shape the sport for future generations of athletes in his homeland.

Korkia remained connected to his native Georgia throughout his life, eventually settling in Tbilisi, where he spent his final years. He passed away on March 15, 2005, leaving behind a legacy connected to the development of basketball in the Soviet era. His contributions to the sport, both on and off the court, remain part of Georgia’s sporting heritage.