Andrei Kirilenko

Andrei Kirilenko (in Cyrillic: АндрейКириленко ), born the February 18th 1981 with Ijevsk, is a player of Russian Basket-ball , evolving/moving at the stations of winger and winger-extremely. It was selected in 1999 with the 1st tower of the draft nba by the Utah Jazz (with the 24e place). It measures 2,06m and weighs approximately 103kg. He is the father of Fedya. His Masha wife left a disc to Russia.

Beginning in the Basketball

At the 7 years age, the trainer of Basketball Alexei Vladimirovich Vasiliev visits the school of Andrei and proposes to him to begin the Basketball. In 1991 it is transferred in a famous sporting school from Saint-Pétersbourg. In 1995 it gains the championship of Russia of its category of old with its team of St-Petersbourg. One year later it gains the same title but in the higher category (born in 1980). In September 1996 it is transferred in the Olympic reserve from the school number 1 to St-Petersbourg. A little more than 4 months later, at the 15 years age, he becomes the youngest player to be played in SuperLigue of Russia. In a victory of its team against the Spartak Moscow, it marks 3 points. He will play only 3 matches among the professionals this season. In May 1997, it is indicated better player of Adidas ABC AlStar Camp of Moscow (among the players born in 1980 and 1981). It gains also the contest of Dunk for which Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the largest marker in the history of the NBA, was judge. This day, the trainer of the Red Army Stanislav Eremin proposes to him for the first time to play for the CSKA Moscow, but it carries out one additional season in Spartak. During this season 1997-1998, he plays 41 matches with an average of 11.9 points and 4.6 rebounds, integrating themajor one of the team quickly. Having confirmed the early talent that Eremin had guessed one year earlier, it is transferred towards the more famous Russian club.

CSKA Moscow

In April 1999, he plays for the 1 time in the match of stars of the Russian championship (at the age record 18 years and 10 month old), for the team of the West which carries it by 31 points. He marked 12 points then but in the same day he gained the contest of dunk by obtaining best notes history of the league: 50/50. In May 1999 its team, the CSKA Moscow, gains the championship of the ligue.
April 16th, 2000, it gains with Moscow the first title of the news European northern Ligue of basketball, by beating Lietuvos Rytas finally. It score 18 points at the time of this match. It is again selected with the Russian Alstar range in April 2000, before gaining a second consecutive title of champion of Russia. The Russian magazine Sport-Express train names it MVP championship, like the member of best five defenders. It does not have whereas 19 ans.
Rather than to join NBA, AK prefers to prolong one year its contract, with the objective to gain the title of Euroleague (or rather the Suproligue this year, because of the conflict between ULEB and FIBA Europe). Its best performances will be of 29 points against KK Split (March 15th, 2001), and of 17 rebounds against ASVEL. This match qualifies the CSKA for the final with four of Paris, but Russian will lose their 2 matches against the Maccabi Tel-Aviv (80-86 with 23 points of Kirilenko, better scorer of the 2 teams), then against Efes Pilsen Istanbul in the match for the third place (85-91).
In May 2001, the French weekly magazine Basket News elects Andrei better Européen player.

NBA

Andrei Kirilenko became youngest European with being drafté by the NBA (18 years, 4 months and 12 days), however he achieves 2 additional seasons with the CSKA before joining Utah Jazz at the summer 2001.
At the time of its first season, it is essential already in the team of Salt Lake City by playing the 82, including 40 in the five major. It still obtains the recognition while being selected for the match of the " rookies" Alstar Range 2002. He is immediately noticed for his defensive capacities: its interceptions and its counter spectacular. Throughout its career in the NBA its Blocks was worth to him several titles of player of the week. In career it has an average of 12,5 points per match but more surprising remains its average of 2,5 counter by match. He is elected in the defensive second five in 2004 and 2005, then in the defensive first five in 2006 and takes part in the Alstar range 2004 as a remplaçant
His team of Utah Jazz is eliminated with the first turn of the playoffs at the time of his 2 first saisons.
After the departure of Karl Malone and John Stockton, Kirilenko becomes a major player of the Jazz, but it is not able to qualify them for the playoffs.
It will rejouera this competition only in 2007, in spite of personal results in fall on all the statistical levels it reaches final conference but is beaten by the Spurs of Tony Parker. It thus should be noticed that the success of the Jazz is especially due to the muscular play of Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, and Mehmet Okur, even if Kirilenko keeps a time of important play, its impact is especially defensive this season and it did not succeed in becoming the leader of a frankness NBA (contrary to Dirk Nowitzki).

Russian national team

In July 1997, Kirilenko is captain of the team National Junior of Russia and gains the money medal losing into final against the Yugoslavians. It is named MVP tournaments with statistics of 19.5 points (and excellent a 62,5% of success to the shooting), 10.2 rebounds, 3,8 master keys and 3.9 interceptions per match. It is posted already as a as powerful player general-purpose attacks some as in defense, which is rare with this old.

In July 1998, it is only classified with the Russian team 5th with the same championship.

In 1999, it is preselected, in the senior team to play Championship of Europe (in France), but will not be finally retained.
It plays its first official match with the national team at the time of OJ of Sydney against Yugoslavia, but the team will be eliminated by Canada (carried out by Steve Nash) in quarterfinal (86-83 after prolongation), and will be classified 8th. Kirilenko will be the best interceptor of the plays with 2,1 interceptions per match.
With the championship of Europe of 2001, Kirilenko helps Russia to be qualified for the championship of the world of Indianapolis by beating France (carried out by Antoine Rigaudeau).
It will not succeed in leading Russia beyond the 10th place to Indianapolis.
With the championship of Europe of 2003 in Sweden, Kirilenko does not succeed in qualifying its team for OJ of Athène. Russia is indeed eliminated by a team from renovated France (carried out in particular by Tony Parker, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, and Jerome Moïso of the NBA) dice the quarter from final, which empèche not AK to be elected among best the five of the championship.
In 2005, Russia does not do better in Serbia-and-Montenegro (elimination in quarterfinal by the future Greek champions), whereas Andrei makes a success of a new personal performance with the 2nd statistical evaluation. He is however not elected in best the five, with the profit of Boris Diaw.
In 2007, Russia takes down against any waiting gold with the Euro against the Spanish hosts. Kirilenko is elected MVP of the competition.

Trivia

its arrived in the NBA it is noticed for its resemblance to the character of Ivan Drago of Rocky IV (although much more thread-like than the actor Dolph Lundgren who interpreted the role).
It chooses number 47 while arriving to the Jazz in 2001 at general amazement: it chooses this number to be made call AK-47 (Its initial AK and its number 47).

Club

Prize list

Winner of the Championship of Europe of basketball 2007

Club

Final Furnace of the Suproligue 2001
Champion of Russia: 1998,1999,2000
Victorious of NEBL: 2000

NBA

Draft E in 24e position by the Utah Jazz in 1999

External bonds

official site
biography and statistics on nba.com

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