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Andrei Kirilenko, Russia <
page 2![]() Nba.com: Began his basketball career with SPARKAK St. Petersburg (Russia) in 1996-97 at the age of 15...As the youngest player ever in the Russian League, played in just three games, but proved his mettle when he earned MVP honors as a 16-year-old in the 1997 European Junior Championships after averaging 19.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg and 3.9 spg...Saw action in 41 games in 1997-98 for SPARKAK, averaging 11.9 ppg and 4.6 rpg, while shooting .521 from the field... Shot a remarkable .647 from the field and earned a spot in the Russian League All-Star Game, where he scored 12 points for the West squad and won the Slam Dunk Competition... Ibn Quotes: "Oh my God, it’s so frustrating when he guards you, you
don’t look at him as being a very a physical player, but he’s as long as they
come. And he’s athletic and quick. He’s tough. Just when you think you’ve got
him, and you think you’ve beaten him, with that reach, he’s still right there at
the rim waiting for you. Then, after all of that, you have to deal with him on
the offensive end." -- Antawn Jamison, 2004
Ibn Facts: Andrei Kirilenko is one of only two players to record at least 6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals and 6 blocks all in the same game. The other player being Hakeem Olajuwon. As of January 08, 2006, Olajuwon has accomplished this feat 6 times while Kirilenko has already done it three times Additionally, he is one of nine players to complete a "high-five" meaning 5 x 5 of the above categories... the list includes both Kirilenko and Olajuwon, also David Robinson, Marcus Camby, Vlade Divac, Jamaal Tinsley, and Alvin Robertson. DimeMag.com (2004): "...Kirilenko achieved what’s known as a 5x5
twice in the same week – at least five points, five rebounds, five assists, five
blocks and five steals in the same game. Until Marcus Camby recorded a 5x5 in
mid-January (ironically against the Jazz), only two other players had achieved
the feat in a game in the last ten years. Kirilenko did it twice in the span of
a week in early December and was one steal and one block away from making it
three times in the span of 10 days..." |
Name: Andrei Kirilenko (kir-ih-LEN-ko) Андрей Кириле́нко Postion: Forward Nickname: Kira (Kirya), AK-47 (USA) Born: 02/18/1981 Status: Active Origin: St. Petersburg, Russia (born in Izhevsk, Siberia) Height: 6-9/2,06m Weight: 225lbs/102,1kg Schools: N/A Drafted: 1999, 1st round, 24th pick by Jazz Languages: Russian, English Website: Kirilenko.ru & InterBasket Teams (jersey): Russian National Team (13), Spartak SP (4), CSKA (5, first season then 13), Utah Jazz (47) Ibn Notes: On June 30, 1999, at 18 years, 4 months, and 12 days, Kirilenko became the youngest European player at the time to be drafted into the NBA, when the Utah Jazz selected him with the 24th pick. However, he remained with CSKA Moscow for the next two seasons. In the 1999-2000 season, he helped his team win the inaugural championship of the Northern European Basketball League and its second Russian Superleague championship in a row. On February 8, 2001, in his third season with CSKA Moscow, Kirilenko became the second player ever in the history of the Euroleague to record a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 steals against Lietuvos Rytas. He showed off his all-around skills in the European Championships, finishing in top ten in 7 out of 8 statistical categories. (the above information was taken from Wikipedia.org) Despite being injured half of the 2004-05 NBA season with a broken wrist, Kirilenko still qualified statistically to lead the league in blocks (3.32 per game) and was named to the All-NBA Defensive Second Team. Nba.com Personal: Kirilenko is married to Marina Kirilenko, (the daughter of Andrei Lapatov, who spent fourteen years on the Russian national basketball team) who released her first Russian CD in the summer of 2002, and Andrei appears in the video of the title track! They have one son, Fedor, pronounced "Theodore" in English. Andrei’s Father-in-law (Andrei Lapatov), played for the Russian National team from 1978-1992. Kirilenko himself was the youngest player ever in the Russian League at age 15. He was drafted by the Jazz in 1999 as an 18-year-old. |
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Andrei Kirilenko Links From our forum: Kirilenko 2005-06 AK: His Stats and Styles How much is Kirilenko worth? Russia Basketball Forum Article(s) and other resources: Andrei Kirilenko Interview (HoopsHype 2002) Andrei Kirilenko Photo Gallery (Yahoo!) |