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Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko (Russian:Андрей Геннадьевич Кириленко; born February 18, 1981), nicknamedAK-47, is a Russian basketball executive and former professionalbasketball player. He played 10 seasons for theUtah Jazz of theNational Basketball Association (NBA) between 2001 and 2011.
At age fifteen, Kirilenko began playing professional basketball in theRussian Basketball Super League. He played forCSKA Moscow from 1998 to 2001, winning league MVP honours in 2000. In 1999, he was selected by the Jazz with the 24th overall pick of the1999 NBA draft. He became the first Russian player selected in the first round of an NBA draft and the youngest European player ever chosen in the NBA draft.
Kirilenko joined the Jazz in 2001 and played for the team until 2011. He made theNBA All-Rookie First Team, was anNBA All-Defensive Team pick three times, played in the2004 All-Star Game, and led the NBA in blocked shots in the 2004–05 season. During the2011 NBA lockout, Kirilenko returned to Russia to play for CSKA Moscow, leading the team to the2012 EuroLeague Final. That year, he was named theEuroLeague MVP, earned anAll-EuroLeague first team selection and won theEuroLeague Best Defender award. Kirilenko returned to the NBA for the 2012–13 season to play for theMinnesota Timberwolves before finishing his NBA career as a member of theBrooklyn Nets in 2013–14.
Kirilenko was a regular member of theRussian national team. He competed at the2000 Summer Olympics and won theEuroBasket title in2007, earningMVP honors in the process. AtEuroBasket 2011, he and his team won a bronze medal. He was selected to theAll-Tournament Team on both occasions. Kirilenko was namedFIBA Europe Men's Player of the Year twice and won aEuroscar Player of the Year award in 2012.
Kirilenko was elected president of theRussian Basketball Federation in 2015.
Kirilenko was born in the Soviet city ofIzhevsk, Russia.[1] When he was ten, he began playing organized basketball.[citation needed]
In 1997, Kirilenko became the youngest player ever to compete in theRussian Super League, spending two seasons withSpartak Saint Petersburg.
Kirilenko joinedCSKA Moscow in 1998. In his first season, he helped his new team win the Russian Super League championship.[2] He was also selected to participate in the Russian All-Star game, helping the West beat the East 138–107 and winning the slam dunk contest.
On June 30,1999, at age 18 years, 132 days, Kirilenko was the youngest foreign player at the time to bedrafted in theNational Basketball Association, when theUtah Jazz selected him with the 24th pick. Kirilenko was also the first Russian picked in the first round of an NBA Draft.[1] However, he remained withCSKA Moscow for the next two seasons. In the 1999–2000 season, he helped his team win the championship of theNorth European Basketball League and its second Russian Super League championship in a row. On April 23, 2000, he participated in his second Russian All-Star game, helping the West beat the East 122–111. Despite being the odds-on favorite to win the slam dunk contest, he finished second toHarold Deane ofLokomotiv Mineralnye Vody.
He showed off his all-around skills in the2000–01 SuproLeague, finishing in the top ten in 7 out of 8 statistical categories.
In August 2001, Kirilenko signed a contract with Yugoslav teamPartizan ICN which included an NBA-out clause option.[3][4]
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Kirilenko joined theUtah Jazz on a rookie-scale contract in September2001.[5] On March 15, 2002, when starting in place of injured teammateKarl Malone, Kirilenko scored a then-career-high 27 points during a 100–97 win over theDetroit Pistons.[6] He was named to the first team on the NBA All-Rookie Team. He would emerge as one of the top young players in the NBA, and one of the league's top weak-side defenders. He was selected to play in the 2004NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles. In the2003–04 NBA season, he ranked third in the league in blocked shots per game and fourth in the league in steals per game,[1] becoming just the second player in NBA history to rank in the top five in both categories (David Robinson ranked first in blocked shots per game and fifth in steals per game in the1991–92 NBA season). During the NBA off-season, Kirilenko played for the Russian national basketball team.
Kirilenko became the leader of the Jazz in 2003 afterJohn Stockton retired andKarl Malone left Utah to join theLos Angeles Lakers.[2] He played and started in 78 of the Utah's 82 games and led them to a 42–40 record. Utah missed the playoffs by one game behind theDenver Nuggets. He finished fifth inDefensive Player of the Year voting and fourth inMost Improved Player voting and was named to the second team on the All-NBA Defensive Team. Kirilenko led the Jazz in many statistical categories:
In the middle of the2004–05 season against theWashington Wizards, Kirilenko sustained a broken right wrist, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. Despite only playing in 41 of 82 games for the Jazz, he amassed enough blocked shots during the season to qualify as the league leader in blocks per game, and was named to the second team on the NBA All-Defensive Team.[1]
In the2005–06 season Kirilenko was again among the league's best shot blockers and defenders. He recorded a career high 10 blocks against Indiana on March 26, and finished first in the league with total blocks (220) and second in blocks per game with 3.2, just behind league leaderMarcus Camby at 3.3. He was named to the first team on the NBA All-Defensive Team.
Kirilenko averaged 15.3 points, 8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 3.2 blocks and 4.3 assists per game in the 2005–2006 season.
Kirilenko andHakeem Olajuwon are the only 2 NBA players who have finished a game with at least 6 steals, 6 blocks, 6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists since 1985–86.
The 2006–2007 season was a tremendous disappointment for Kirilenko. While playing in 70 games and not missing much playing time, he averaged career lows in points (8.3) and field goal attempts (6.0). It has been said that much of this decline can be attributed to the main offensive emphasis onCarlos Boozer,Deron Williams, andMehmet Okur, and that Kirilenko was uncomfortable losing his position as the main go-to guy on the team. His frustration eventually culminated in a widely publicized breakdown near the end of the Jazz's first-roundplayoffs series against theHouston Rockets. Kirilenko bounced back to lead Russia to the championship inEuroBasket 2007, and was named MVP of the tournament. Following his performance in the 2007 EuroBasket, he asked to be released from his contract to return to Russia to play basketball.
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Despite the trade rumors and controversy created by these statements, he rebounded in the2007–08 NBA season and backed off on trade demands. His statistics for the 2007–08 NBA season were 11.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.2 spg, and 1.5 bpg, all of which were improvements over his previous season's stats (with the exception of blocks and rebounds). He worked out personally with former Jazz shooting guardJeff Hornacek on his shooting in the 2007 off-season, and his field goal percentage improved from 47% to 51%. Most impressively, his 3-point shooting improved from 21% to a career-high 38%.
Amid the2011 NBA lockout, Kirilenko returned to Russia to play for his old teamCSKA Moscow.[7] Although the lockout was resolved in December, Kirilenko remained with CSKA Moscow for the rest of the season rather than pursuing an immediate return to the NBA. Over 17 games in the EuroLeague, he averaged 14.1 points and 7.5 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game, leading the team to the2012 EuroLeague Final.[citation needed] Kirilenko was named theEuroLeague MVP, earned anAll-EuroLeague first team selection and won theEuroLeague Best Defender award.[8]
On July 27, 2012, Kirilenko signed with theMinnesota Timberwolves.[9] He was the team's startingsmall forward, playing in 64 games during the2012–13 NBA season. Kirilenko missed 18 games because of back spasms,[10] then a right quadriceps strain,[11] and finally a calf strain.[12] He finished the season with averages of 12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and a 51% field goal percentage per game.[13] He had his best game on November 14, 2012, when he had 26 points and 12 rebounds on an 89–87 loss to theCharlotte Bobcats.[14] On June 29, 2013, Kirilenko opted out of the final year of his contract with the Timberwolves (worth $10 million) to become a free agent.[15]
On July 12, 2013, Kirilenko signed a two-year deal with theBrooklyn Nets.[16] On June 23, 2014, he exercised his $3.3 million player option, re-signing with the Nets for the 2014–15 season.[17] On November 21, 2014, he took a leave of absence from the Nets for personal reasons.[18]
On December 11, 2014, Kirilenko was traded, along withJorge Gutiérrez, the Nets' second round draft pick in 2020 and the right to swap second round picks in 2018, to thePhiladelphia 76ers in exchange forBrandon Davies.[19] The 76ers suspended Kirilenko without pay on January 9, 2015, for failing to report after the trade,[20] and on February 21, he was waived by the 76ers before playing in a game for them.[21]
On February 24, 2015, Kirilenko signed with CSKA Moscow of theVTB United League for the rest of the 2014–15 season, returning to the club for a third stint.[22][23] With Kirilenko at the club for the second half of the season, CSKA Moscow managed to advance to theEuroLeague Final Four for the fourth straight season, after eliminatingPanathinaikos for the second straight season in thequarterfinals, with a 3–1 series win.[24] However, in the semi-final game, despite being dubbed by media as an absolute favorite to advance, Kirilenko's team, CSKA, once again lost toOlympiacos. The final score was 70–68, after a great Olympiacos comeback in the fourth quarter, led byVassilis Spanoulis.[25] CSKA Moscow eventually won the third place game, after defeatingFenerbahçe 86–80.[26] Over 11 games played in the EuroLeague, he averaged 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. CSKA Moscow finished the season by winning theVTB United League, after eliminatingKhimki with a 3–0 series win in the league's finals series.[27]
On June 23, 2015, Kirilenko announced his retirement as a professional basketball player.[28]
As a member of the Russian junior national team, Kirilenko wasthe MVP of the 1999FIBA Under-19 World Cup. Kirilenko's first major international tournament with the seniorRussian national basketball team was at the2000 Summer Olympics, where Russia finished the games in 8th place. Later, he played at theEuroBasket 2001, where Russia finished 5th among 16 teams. The only time that Kirilenko played in aFIBA World Cup was at the2002 FIBA World Championship, where the Russian team finished 10th out of 16 teams. Kirilenko has also played at 4 moreEuroBaskets: theEuroBasket 2003, theEuroBasket 2005, theEuroBasket 2007, where he won the gold medal of the competition, and was named theMVP of the tournament, and theEuroBasket 2011. With the win in the 2007 EuroBasket, Russia qualified to the2008 Summer Olympics, where Kirilenko also played for Russia, and he was also named Russia'sflag bearer for theOpening Ceremony of the games.
In the first game of the 2008 Olympics tournament againstIran, Kirilenko scored 15 points, pulled down 5 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots.[29] AgainstCroatia, he led his team in points scored with 18, and he scored his personal best in the games againstArgentina, scoring 23.
Kirilenko won a bronze medal with Russia at the2012 Summer Olympics.[30]
In August 2015, Kirilenko was elected president of theRussian Basketball Federation.[31] He was re-elected to the post in August 2020.[32]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | PIR | Performance index rating |
| Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Utah | 82 | 40 | 26.2 | .450 | .250 | .768 | 4.9 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 10.7 |
| 2002–03 | Utah | 80 | 11 | 27.7 | .491 | .325 | .800 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 12.0 |
| 2003–04 | Utah | 78 | 78 | 37.1 | .443 | .338 | .790 | 8.1 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 16.5 |
| 2004–05 | Utah | 41 | 37 | 32.9 | .493 | .299 | .784 | 6.2 | 3.2 | 1.6 | 3.3* | 15.6 |
| 2005–06 | Utah | 69 | 63 | 37.7 | .460 | .308 | .699 | 8.0 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 3.2 | 15.3 |
| 2006–07 | Utah | 70 | 70 | 29.3 | .471 | .213 | .728 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 8.3 |
| 2007–08 | Utah | 72 | 72 | 30.8 | .506 | .379 | .770 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 11.0 |
| 2008–09 | Utah | 67 | 10 | 27.3 | .449 | .274 | .785 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 11.6 |
| 2009–10 | Utah | 58 | 35 | 29.0 | .506 | .292 | .744 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 11.9 |
| 2010–11 | Utah | 64 | 62 | 31.2 | .467 | .367 | .770 | 5.1 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 11.7 |
| 2012–13 | Minnesota | 64 | 64 | 31.8 | .507 | .292 | .752 | 5.7 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 12.4 |
| 2013–14 | Brooklyn | 45 | 4 | 19.0 | .513 | .200 | .513 | 3.2 | 1.6 | .9 | .4 | 5.0 |
| 2014–15 | Brooklyn | 7 | 0 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .750 | 1.1 | .1 | .1 | .0 | .4 |
| Career | 797 | 546 | 30.2 | .474 | .310 | .754 | 5.5 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 11.8 | |
| All-Star | 1 | 0 | 12.0 | .333 | .000 | .000 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Utah | 4 | 4 | 30.5 | .393 | .000 | .813 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 8.8 |
| 2003 | Utah | 5 | 0 | 29.0 | .419 | .143 | .875 | 4.8 | 1.4 | .6 | 2.0 | 11.6 |
| 2007 | Utah | 17 | 17 | 31.0 | .447 | .333 | .785 | 5.2 | 2.6 | .9 | 2.4 | 9.6 |
| 2008 | Utah | 12 | 12 | 32.3 | .447 | .227 | .714 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 11.0 |
| 2009 | Utah | 5 | 3 | 27.2 | .468 | .200 | .714 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.2 | .6 | 11.0 |
| 2010 | Utah | 2 | 0 | 15.0 | .500 | .000 | 1.000 | 3.0 | .0 | .5 | .5 | 5.5 |
| 2014 | Brooklyn | 10 | 0 | 14.4 | .467 | .000 | .647 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .3 | 2.5 |
| Career | 55 | 36 | 27.1 | .445 | .208 | .767 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 8.7 | |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIBA EuroLeague | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–99 | CSKA Moscow | 7 | 0 | 9.0 | .625 | .000 | .773 | 1.4 | .1 | 1.1 | .0 | 5.3 | 9.0 | |
| 1999–00 | 19 | 19 | 26.9 | .579 | .200 | .646 | 6.2 | 1.8 | 2.5 | .5 | 11.5 | 21.1 | ||
| FIBA SuproLeague | ||||||||||||||
| 2000–01 | CSKA Moscow | 22 | 22 | 33.7 | .575 | .281 | .647 | 9.2 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.1* | 13.9 | 27.0 | |
| EuroLeague | ||||||||||||||
| 2011–12 | CSKA Moscow | 17 | 17 | 29.9 | .533 | .417 | .758 | 7.5* | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.9* | 14.1 | 24.2* | |
| 2014–15 | 11 | 9 | 19.3 | .518 | .462 | .682 | 5.3 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 8.5 | 13.9 | ||
| Career | 76 | 67 | 26.8 | .561 | .342 | .687 | 6.8 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 11.8 | 21.3 | ||
Kirilenko was a versatile "big man" who could play either forward spot. He was noted for his high-level play in both offense (11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game NBA career averages) and defense (twice topping three blocks per game for a season). On offense, he was proficient in drawing fouls, passing, and possessed a quick first step. He was three times selected into the NBA All-Defensive First or Second Team. Staples of Kirilenko's defensive power were his shot blocking (with an NBA career average of 1.8 per game) and in stealing the ball (NBA career average of 1.4 per game).[33]
On January 3, 2006, against theLos Angeles Lakers, Kirilenko posted a stat line of 14 points, 8rebounds, 9assists, 6steals, and 7blocks. This was the third time in his career he achieved afive-by-five, making him one of only three players (the others beingHakeem Olajuwon andVictor Wembanyama) to achieve this feat more than once in NBA history.[34] It was also the first-ever regulation "5×6" — a game in which a player registers at least 6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 blocks, and 6 steals — since the NBA began recording blocks and steals in the1973–74 season. In 1987, Olajuwon had 38 points, 17 rebounds, 12 blocks, 7 steals, and 6 assists for theHouston Rockets, in a double-overtime win over theSeattle SuperSonics, the only other time a player has earned a 5×6.[35][36]
In June 2015,FiveThirtyEight reviewed Kirilenko's statistics, finding that his efficiency in scoring, steals, blocks, assists, offensive rebounds, and all-around versatility would justify consideration for theBasketball Hall of Fame.[37]
Kirilenko is nicknamed "AK-47" in reference to his initials, the jersey number he wore, and theAK-47 rifle. Coincidentally, Kirilenko was born in the city ofIzhevsk, in the former Soviet Union (now in Russia) where the weapon was first manufactured.[38]
Kirilenko is married to Russian pop singer Masha "Marina" Lopatova, whose stage name is MaLo. Lopatova is the daughter of Russian basketball playerAndrey Lopatov. Kirilenko met Lopatova at a youth basketball camp in Moscow, and Kirilenko appeared in one of Lopatova's music videos.[39] In January 2011, Kirilenko and his wife acquiredAmerican citizenship.[40] The couple have three sons, Fedor, Stepan and Andrey, and a daughter named Alexandra.[2][41][42] They live in Los Angeles.
Sources suggest Kirilenko was aWorld of Warcraft (WoW) gamer while playing in the NBA. In the words of former NBA playerChanning Frye, he shared a story about being up at 3 a.m. the night before an NBA game while playing WoW, when he noticed Kirilenko was online as well. Frye asked Kirilenko "Aren’t you playing tomorrow?", referring to the next day's NBA game, and Kirilenko replied "Yeah, probably."[43]
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