Andrei Kirilenko

Russian basketball legend and former Utah Jazz star known as AK-47.

Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko (born February 18, 1981) is a Russian basketball executive and former professional player. Nicknamed AK-47, he played 10 seasons for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 2001 and 2011.

Quick Facts

Born: 18 February 1981
Birthplace: Izhevsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Nationality: Russian; American
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 24
Drafted by: Utah Jazz
Career position: Power forward; small forward
Career number: 47, 15

Lore & Background

At age fifteen, Kirilenko began playing professional basketball in the Russian Basketball Super League. He played for CSKA Moscow from 1998 to 2001. In 1999, he was selected by the Jazz with the 24th overall pick of the 1999 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 the NBA All-Rookie First Team, was an NBA All-Defensive Team pick three times, played in the 2004 All-Star Game, and led the NBA in blocked shots in the 2004–05 season. During the 2011 NBA lockout, Kirilenko returned to Russia to play for CSKA Moscow, leading the team to the 2012 EuroLeague Final. That year, he was named the EuroLeague MVP, earned an All-EuroLeague first team selection and won the EuroLeague Best Defender award. Kirilenko returned to the NBA for the 2012–13 season to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves before finishing his NBA career as a member of the Brooklyn Nets in 2013–14. Kirilenko was a regular member of the Russian national team. He competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics and won the EuroBasket title in 2007, earning MVP honors in the process. At EuroBasket 2011, he and his team won a bronze medal. He was selected to the All-Tournament Team on both occasions. Kirilenko was named FIBA Europe Men's Player of the Year twice and won a Euroscar Player of the Year award in 2012. Kirilenko was elected president of the Russian Basketball Federation in 2015.

Reader's Guide

Kirilenko was born in the Soviet city of Izhevsk, Russia. When he was ten, he began playing organized basketball. In 1997, he became the youngest player ever to compete in the Russian Super League, spending two seasons with Spartak Saint Petersburg. He joined CSKA Moscow in 1998. In his first season, he helped his new team win the Russian Super League championship. 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 , Kirilenko was the youngest foreign player at the time to be drafted in the National Basketball Association, when the Utah Jazz selected him with the 24th pick. He remained with CSKA Moscow for the next two seasons. In the 1999–2000 season, he helped his team win the championship of the North 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 to Harold Deane of Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody. He showed off his all-around skills in the 2000–01 SuproLeague, finishing in the top ten in 7 out of 8 statistical categories. In August 2001, Kirilenko signed a contract with Yugoslav team Partizan ICN which included an NBA-out clause option. Kirilenko joined the Utah Jazz on a rookie-scale contract in September 2001. On March 15, 2002, when starting in place of injured teammate Karl Malone, Kirilenko scored a then-career-high 27 points during a 100–97 win over the Detroit Pistons. He was named to the first team on the NBA All-Rookie Team. He was selected to play in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles. In the 2003–04 NBA season, he ranked third in the league in blocked shots per game and fourth in the league in steals per game, becoming just the second player in NBA history to rank in the top five in both categories. Kirilenko became the leader of the Jazz in 2003 after John Stockton retired and Karl Malone left Utah to join the Los Angeles Lakers. 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 the Denver Nuggets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Andrei Kirilenko and where does the nickname AK-47 come from?

Andrei Kirilenko is a Russian former professional basketball player who spent ten seasons with the Utah Jazz from 2001 to 2011. His widely recognized moniker, AK-47, is built from his initials and has become synonymous with his identity as a Jazz legend.

What position did Andrei Kirilenko play and what was his role on the court?

Kirilenko operated as a small forward and power forward, functioning as a versatile two-way player who could guard multiple positions. His defensive versatility made him the anchor of Utah's perimeter defense throughout his decade in Salt Lake City.

Why is Andrei Kirilenko considered pivotal to Utah Jazz history?

After John Stockton retired and Karl Malone departed in 2003, Kirilenko stepped into the role of the franchise's central figure. He guided the team to a 42-40 record that season and remained a cornerstone of the roster through his final year in 2011.