President of the Russian Basketball Federation, Honored Master of Sports of Russia, bronze medalist Olympic Games, European champion, four-time champion of Russia, two-time champion VTB United League, the best European basketball player in 2012

One of the most titled athletes in Russia, one of the best players in the history of Russian, European and world basketball, whose technical arsenal was envied even by black basketball legislators in the United States.

Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko was born on February 18, 1981 in the city of Izhevsk, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, where his mother was from, a professional basketball player who played at various times for the Leningrad teams Burevestnik, Spartak, Hammer and Sickle and Skorokhod. All of Andrei's conscious childhood, adolescence and youth were spent in St. Petersburg, where the head coach of the Iskra women's football club ( Leningrad region) was served by his father.

Born into a family of professional athletes and having tried swimming and football by that time, seven-year-old Andryusha Kirilenko began professionally playing basketball at the Sports School of the Frunzensky District of St. Petersburg with Alexei Vladimirovich Vasiliev. At the age of 14, as part of the St. Petersburg national team, he became the Russian basketball champion among players of his age. And in January 1997, at less than 16 years old, he played the first match for his first professional club - Spartak (St. Petersburg) and became the youngest professional player in the history of the Russian championships. However, A. Kirilenko did not play for Spartak for long - everyone can see the true talent, everyone needs it.

In 1998, the famous Stanislav Eremin called A. Kirilenko to "serve" in the Moscow BC "CSKA". There, 17-year-old Andrei, without a shadow of embarrassment, immediately showed that he can play on equal terms with the leaders: already in his first game (September 28, 1998, with Maikop Dynamo), he entered the starting five and gave an impressive result - 25 points! The first two seasons played for CSKA brought A. Kirilenko the title of champion of Russia, and in the 1999–2000 season he was recognized best player championship of Russia. And in the third season (2000-2001), together with CSKA, he reached the Final Four of the FIBA ​​Euroleague for the first time.

First called up to the Russian national team in 2000, Andrei Kirilenko participated in the Sydney Olympics, where the Russian team reached the quarterfinals. A. Kirilenko did not participate in the 2004 Olympics, since the Russian team “did not qualify” there according to the results of the previous European Championship 2003. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where A. Kirilenko was entrusted with carrying the Russian flag at the opening ceremony of these Games, the Russian team did not reach the playoff stage. But at the 2012 Olympics in London, Russian basketball players, including the efforts of A. Kirilenko, won an honorary “bronze”. Already in starting match Kirilenko scored a career-high 35 points against the UK national team, played the longest in the tournament in the team and showed the team's best result in points (17.5) and rebounds (7.5) scored per game. He was also included in the symbolic team of the tournament according to ESPN.

As part of the Russian team, in which he soon became the undisputed leader, A. Kirilenko participated in the games of the European Championships in 2001, 2003, 2005 (team captain) and 2007, as well as in the 2002 World Cup.

Memorable for Kirilenko was the EuroBasket 2007 in Spain. The Russian national team for the first time in its history (excluding the achievements of the USSR team) became the winner of the championship of the continent. A. Kirilenko played several bright matches, the best of which was the semi-final with Lithuania (86:74). In this meeting, he scored 29 points, implemented 9 of 11 shots from the game. According to the results of the championship, A. Kirilenko was included in the symbolic team of Europe, recognized as the "most valuable player" (MVP) of the tournament and received the title of Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation.

The Russian team played the 2009 and 2010 seasons without Kirilenko - for family reasons, he could not take part in the 2009 European Championships and the 2010 World Championships. In 2011, Kirilenko returned to the national team and played at the European Championship in Lithuania. Having won ten out of eleven meetings, losing only to the French team in the semifinals, in the match for third place, the Russian team beat the Macedonian team and won bronze medals, and Kirilenko entered the symbolic team of the tournament.

In September 2013, A. Kirilenko announced the end of his career as a player in the Russian national team.

It so happened that about Most of A. Kirilenko's sporting achievements are associated with his playing on the American continent, where he played in different clubs of the NBA (US National Basketball Association) for more than 10 years.

In the 2001-2002 season, 20-year-old Andrei Kirilenko, wearing the jersey number "47", which instantly stuck the nickname "AK-47" to him, made his debut with the Utah Jazz club (Utah Jazz). The youngest European NBA recruit of that season, the AK-47 impressed the coach (J. Sloan), colleagues and spectators with his fanatical passion for the game. He played all 82 games of the season, including 40 times in the starting five, worked without misfires, averaging 10.7 points per game, and at the end of the season was included in the symbolic five of the NBA's best rookies. And in April 2002, he became the first Russian to play in the NBA playoffs.

In the 2002-2003 season, A. Kirilenko played even more effectively, gaining 12.0 points per game in 80 games he played. The following season, Kirilenko, having played in 78 games, became the Utah Jazz's best player in scoring (16.2), rebounds (8.1), steals (1.92) and blocks (2.76) and entered the the second symbolic defensive team of the NBA.

In the 2004–2005 season, Kirilenko was plagued by injuries. He played only 41 games, but nevertheless became the team's second-best scoring player, averaging 15.6 points per game, led the Utah Jazz in steals (1.63) and led the entire league in blocks. - shots per game. At the end of the season, he entered the second symbolic NBA defensive team for the second year in a row and played at the prestigious NBA All-Star Game.

The 2005–2006 season was the most successful in A. Kirilenko's American career. He played in 69 games, 63 of them coming from the first minute. Kirilenko led his team and led the NBA in both total blocks (220) and blocks per game (3.32), and also made two triple-doubles - a unique achievement. He was already included in the first symbolic defensive team.

In the 2006–2007 season, the Utah Jazz coaches changed the team's game tactics. Kirilenko, who worked hard at the time to further improve his shooting, was forced to attack less, averaging only 8.3 points per game. Not agreeing with the new role of Kirilenko, he was almost ready to part with the club. However, by the end of the season, the conflict was resolved, and he was already averaging 11 points per game, which helped his team reach the playoff stage.

For the next three seasons, Andrei Kirilenko continued to play consistently and efficiently, and in the 2010-2011 season he entered the top ten highest paid NBA players. Andrei appeared on the court in 64 games of the season (62 starts), averaging 11.7 points per game. In total, he played more than 680 games for Utah.

The lockout that happened in the NBA that year returned Andrei Kirilenko to Russia at CSKA, where he played until the end of the 2011-2012 season. That season, together with CSKA, Kirilenko reached the Euroleague Final Four, won the VTB United League and won for the third time gold medal Russian champion. According to the results of the season, he was recognized as the MVP of the regular season of the Euroleague, the best defensive player of the Euroleague and entered the first symbolic team of the Euroleague, became the MVP of the regular season and the Final Four of the VTB United League, entered the first symbolic five of the Euroleague and BEKO PBL.

In 2011, A. Kirilenko also received an American passport to his Russian passport, and on July 27, 2012, using the contract option with CSKA, which allowed him to return to the NBA if the lockout ended, he signed a contract with the NBA club Minnesota Timberwolves (Minnesota Timber Wolves), where he performed in the 2012-2013 season.

“It was not an easy decision, because everything suited me in CSKA. I felt really comfortable, there was always an amazing atmosphere in the locker room. I was lucky - I was in good health and good shape and managed to play in my homeland for friends and relatives, for all Russian fans. But I have repeatedly stressed that I want to perform at the highest level. I feel enough strength and confidence in myself to continue my career in the NBA, ”Kirilenko explained his departure from CSKA.

A. Kirilenko started the 2012–2013 season as a starter for the Timberwolves, where he served as the main defense specialist, and, being the most experienced player, served as a youth mentor. Playing for Minnesota, Kirilenko averaged 12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. At the end of the season, despite a lucrative offer, Andrei decided to refuse to renew his contract with Minnesota and became an "unrestricted free agent."

In 2013, A. Kirilenko signed a one-year contract with Mikhail Prokhorov's Brooklyn Nets. He was attracted by the opportunity (albeit for a lower salary) "to play in a team that has a chance of winning the championship." It was also important that the club had a Russian owner, whose confidant in the presidential elections in the Russian Federation A. Kiriyenko was in February 2012. At the end of the 2013–2014 season, Kirilenko exercised the option to extend his contract with Brooklyn through the 2014–2015 season.

On December 11, 2014, Brooklyn traded Kirilenko to the Philadelphia 76ers. Due to Andrei's refusal to play for Philadelphia, the club disqualified the player and terminated his contract. And Kirilenko was put up for a waiver draft on February 22, and on the 24th received the status of a free agent after none of the NBA clubs claimed rights to him.

On February 24, 2015, Andrey Kirilenko signed a contract with PBC CSKA until the end of the season and became the champion of Russia and the winner of the VTB United League as part of his native team, after which he ended his sports career.

In all the teams for which the versatile basketball player A. Kirilenko played, due to his outstanding physical data (height 206 cm, weight 102 kg) and excellent technical qualities, he played the role of either a light or heavy forward, but he also played well in defense . With his unexpected actions in the attack, Kirilenko skillfully forced the opponent to foul, punishing him with free throws, he could easily go into a fast break, pick up the ball on someone else's backboard, perfectly saw the field, played the pass game perfectly, creating opportunities for partners to attack, and made a quick first step. And the experts in covering the throw, equal to Kirilenko, can be counted on the fingers of one hand in the world - it is no coincidence that for his game in defense he was included in the NBA all-star defense team three times.

Talent backed up strong will, desire and ability to work hard - this is about A. Kirilenko. Competent choice of position, clear block shots, effective rebounds under his shield and interceptions - a rich arsenal of "tactical and technical means" of the AK-47, multiplied by a good greed for the game, allowed Andrei Kirilenko to become the 15th player in the history of the NBA, with 1,000 steals, 1,000 blocks and 2,000 passes.

Thanks to his versatility, Kirilenko achieved a very rare statistic three times in his NBA career, which in North America is called "five-by-five" (eng. Five-by-five), when a basketball player scores at least 5 points per game for each statistic – points, assists, rebounds, steals and block shots. In early December 2003, A. Kirilenko reached the “five-to-five” indicator twice within one week, and on January 3, 2006, in a game with the Los Angeles Lakers team, he scored at least 6 points for each indicator (14 points + 8 rebounds + 9 assists + 6 steals + 7 blocks).

With age, A. Kirilenko preferred to create more opportunities for partners to attack than to attack himself. When he was reproached for not scoring enough, Andrei tactfully answered: “I have completely different tasks. I can score 20, maximum 25 points, but no more. To have a little bit of everything and try to play so that my team wins - that's my task.

In his entire career, he has never used an illegal drug. The combat weight gained and maintained by him was solely the result of hard work in the gym and proper nutrition. At the same time, Kirilenko was always very correct both with partners and rivals, and (especially!) With annoying unceremonious fans and journalists.

The family of Andrei and Maria Kirilenko (nee Lopatova, daughter of the famous basketball player, world champion Andrei Lopatov) has three children: sons Fedor and Stepan and daughter Alexandra. The family, although firmly settled in the United States in the city of Salt Lake City (Salt-Lake City, Utah), remained rooted in Russia, in Moscow.

Andrei Kirilenko is the highest paid Russian athlete in the history of Russian sports. His six-year contract, signed in 2004 with the Utah Jazz, was worth $86 million.

In 2003, the Kirilenkos created the Kirilenko's Kids charity foundation in Salt Lake City. And since 2006, this Fund has been legally registered in Russia. The Foundation helps children's hospitals, orphanages and boarding schools, sports schools, disabled basketball players and sports veterans, and is also engaged in the development of mass non-professional children's sports. In 2012, A. Kirilenko donated to the Kirilenko for Children! all the money he earned in PBC CSKA in the 2011-2012 season.

February 6, 2013 Andrei Kirilenko was named the best European basketball player in 2012 according to the Italian edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport. He was the first Russian to receive this prize, presented annually by the authoritative international jury of Euroscar since 1979. A month later, the FIBA ​​Europe Basketball Association also named Andrey Kirilenko the best player of 2012. This prestigious sports award was the second in his career - earlier A. Kirilenko was awarded this honorary title in 2007. It seems, however, that the title of the best basketball player in Russia and the love of teenagers and basketball fans both in the homeland of this unsurpassed master and all over the world were no less worthy awards.

After a protracted crisis in Russian basketball, on August 25, 2015, at an extraordinary reporting and election conference of the RFB, Andrei Kirilenko was elected as president of the Russian Basketball Federation. Andrei Gennadievich was elected to this position unanimously. According to the results of the secret ballot, Kirilenko won 215 votes out of 215 possible.

A.G. Kirilenko - Honored Master of Sports of Russia, Olympic bronze medalist (2012), European champion (2007), European championship bronze medalist (2011), Russian champion (1999, 2000, 2012, 2015), VTB United League champion (2012, 2015) .

Played for the teams: "Spartak" (St. Petersburg) (1996-1998), "CSKA" (Moscow) (1998-2001; 2011-2012; 2015), "Utah Jazz" (Utah, USA) (2001-2011 ), Minnesota Timberwolves (Minnesota, USA) (2012–2013), Brooklyn Nets (New York, USA) (since 2013).

He was awarded the medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" II degree.

Kirilenko Andrei Gennadievich headed the Russian Basketball Federation in 2015.

17.02.2018

Kirilenko Andrey Gennadievich

President of the Basketball Federation

Russian basketball player

Master of Sport

Andrey Kirilenko was born on February 18, 1981 in the city of Izhevsk, Udmurt Republic. Was born in the family of Olga and Gennady Kirilenko. Andrei's father, himself a former athlete, is the head coach of the Iskra women's football club. Olga Kirilenko played basketball herself and played for women's teams"Petrel", "Spartak", "Hammer and Sickle" and "Skorokhod".

As a child, Andrei was fond of swimming, football, handball. He began to play basketball at the Children's and Youth Sports School of the Frunzensky District of Leningrad from the 1st grade; first coach - Alexey Vladimirovich Vasiliev. In 1995, as part of the city team, he became the Russian basketball champion among players born in 1981.

On January 18, 1997, Kirilenko began his professional career in the St. Petersburg Spartak in the 1996/97 season, becoming, at less than 16 years old, the youngest player in the championships of the Russian championship in the history of the tournament. He played in only three games this season, but the following season he was in 41 games, averaging 11.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on a .521 shooting percentage from the field. In 1997, Kirilenko took part in the European Championship among juniors, averaging 19.5 points and 10.2 rebounds, as well as making 3.9 steals per game, as a result of which he was recognized as the most valuable player of the tournament.

In the summer of 1998, Kirilenko moved to CSKA. In his first season with the capital, he averaged 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26 games during the regular season, and 5.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in seven games from the opening minutes. in European club tournament. Together with Kirilenko's team, he won the gold medals of the Russian championship for the first time, in the Euroleague the club finished the tournament ahead of schedule at the 1/8 final stage, losing in two matches to the Turkish Efes Pilsen. In the first match with the Turkish club, Kirilenko spent five minutes on the court, not showing up in the statistics in any other way, in the second he did not participate at all.

During the 1999-2000 regular season, Kirilenko became one of CSKA's leaders, averaging 13.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 37 games, and 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in 19 European games. club championship, and then led the team to victories in the Russian championship and the NEBL championship. Like last year, the army team stopped fighting in the Euroleague at the 1/8 final stage, this time losing in three matches to the Croatian Cibona, although Kirilenko himself scored 45 points and 19 rebounds in three games. At the end of the season, Kirilenko was recognized as the best player in the Russian Championship.

On June 30, 1999, Kirilenko was selected by the Utah Jazz NBA club under the 24th draft pick. The Russian became at that time the youngest European basketball player drafted by the National Basketball Association team. Number 13 - Andrey's traditional number - was already taken by John Amaechi, who joined Utah, but by the time of the choice, the players in the team had already nicknamed Kirilenko AK-47 and, in accordance with this nickname, he was offered game number 47.

Kirilenko made his debut in Utah in the 2001/02 season, as a result of which he was included in the symbolic five of the best NBA rookies and took third place in the voting for the title of "rookie of the year". Andrey averaged 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.94 blocks and 1.41 steals per game. Kirilenko played in all 82 games of the season, 40 of them in the starting five. For the first time in his NBA career, Kirilenko entered the court from the first minutes of the game on February 12, 2001 against the Indiana Pacers, making a double-double, after which he confidently established himself in the starting lineup. In the same season, Andrei took part in the rookie game at the NBA All-Star Weekend, scoring 4 points in 15 minutes. Kirilenko's team ended the season with a 3-1 series loss to the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the playoffs.

In the 2002-2003 season, Kirilenko played in 80 of 82 games, averaging 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game. Missed the first two games of his career due to lower back cramps. He made his second appearance in the Rookie Game at the NBA's All-Star Weekend, scoring 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and one block in 27 minutes. In the first round of the playoff series, Utah again met with the Sacramento Kings and in a series of five matches, the Kings again won: 4-1.

Before the start of the 2003-2004 season, Utah left its longtime leaders John Stockton and Karl Malone, in connection with which the restructuring of the team began. Kirilenko, who played in 78 games and missed four games due to a sprained right ankle, was the Utah Jazz's all-time leading player in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocked shots. He finished third in the league in blocks and fourth in steals, and was fifth in the league's vote for Defensive Player of the Year. Kirilenko was named to the NBA Second All-Defensive Team. He was selected by the coaches as an alternate to the West for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, where he played 12 minutes, scoring 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 block. At the end of the season, Andrey's team did not make it to the playoffs.

In the off-season, the team took steps to strengthen the roster, signing Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur as free agents and re-signing Carlos Arroyo and Gordan Giricek. In the 2004-2005 season, Kirilenko played only 41 matches. He missed 26 games with a sprained right knee, a Feb. 15 game against Cleveland with a sprained right ankle, and another 14 games with a broken left hand against Washington on March 24. He returned to the site only in the fall of 2005.

In the summer of 2005, the Jazz, who were third in the draft, selected Deron Williams in the first round and re-signed Andrei Kirilenko for the maximum amount. Thus, he became one of the highest paid athletes in Russia - his annual earnings in the Utah Jazz were about $ 15.3 million. Kirilenko managed to sign such a successful multi-million dollar contract thanks to a generational change in the Utah Jazz, when the Russian basketball player became the team leader, entered the NBA's first symbolic defensive team and even played in the All-Star Game.

The 2005-2006 season was the most successful for the Russian in his career. He played in 69 games, 63 of them coming from the open, and missed a total of 13 games due to injury. Kirilenko led the NBA in total blocks and blocked shots per game, and also made two triple-doubles. He was third on the team in scoring and rebounding, second in assists, led in blocked shots and steals, spending 37.7 minutes on the court on average per game. Okur and Kirilenko put in a good performance during the regular season, and Williams, despite a mid-season slump, made a significant contribution to Utah's game. However, club owner Larry Miller expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance as the Jazz finished the season just 3 points outside the playoffs, with a 41-41 record.

In the off-season, Andriy withdrew from playing for the national team in qualifying for the 2007 European Championship, devoting himself to intensive work on the throw, along with personal trainer Jeff Hornacek, but ended up having the worst season of his career. Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan shifted his offensive focus to rookie Carlos Boozer and young Deron Williams. During his first two years on the team, Boozer struggled with injuries, but by the 2006-2007 season, he had become the most important player in the Utah front line.

Kirilenko found no place in the Jazz game schemes, and from a leader he turned into an ordinary role-playing basketball player. Playing in 70 games, he averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.06 steals and 2.06 blocks in an average of 29.3 minutes per game. The basketball player himself in an interview Russian media has repeatedly stated that if the Utah team play does not change, he does not rule out a move to another club. However, the Russian remained on the team, and the Jazz team performance improved significantly compared to previous years, reaching a score of 51-31. Utah, having consistently beaten the Houston Rockets, the Golden State Warriors reached the conference finals, where they lost to the more experienced players of the San Antonio Spurs.

Despite controversy and trade talks during the off-season, Andriy remained with the team, showing the same level of play, improving statistics in all respects compared to the previous season, and seemed to be pleased with his new role as a defender and backup goalscorer. Kirilenko played all 72 regular season games and 12 playoff games in the starting five, averaging 11 points per game. Utah finished fifth in the season Western Conference with an indicator of 54-28. In the first round of the playoffs, the Jazzmen beat the Houston Rockets, but then lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the 2008-2009 season, Kirilenko appeared in 67 games, averaging 11.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.24 steals and 1.15 blocks per game. The Jazz finished the season 48-34 in last place in the playoffs, after which they faced the Los Angeles Lakers again in the first round and were crushed.

In the 2009-2010 season, Kirilenko's performance was not so high due to injuries. He played in 58 games where he averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.43 steals and 28.6 minutes per game. Kirilenko missed 13 of the last 15 games of the season with a left calf injury, flared the day before the first playoff game and missed the first round of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets. He managed to recover only in the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played two games, but the Jazz lost for the third time in a row.

In terms of salary for last season 2010-2011 as part of Utah, Andrei Kirilenko entered the top ten highest paid NBA players. At the same time, his contract was included in various ratings of the worst contracts or in the lists of the most overrated players. Andrei appeared on the court in 64 games of the season, averaging 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 31.2 minutes per game. February 10, 2011 Main coach Jerry Sloan resigned due to a conflict with the club's main star Deron Williams, who was then traded to the New Jersey Nets for two first-round rookies Derrick Favors and Devin Harris. The Jazz continued to struggle for the remainder of the season, but only finished 11th in the Western Conference with a 39-43 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2006. In the off-season, Andrei Kirilenko, due to the lockout, decided to continue his career in Russia.

At the end of the 2010-2011 season, Andrei Kirilenko became a free agent. In connection with the NBA lockout, on October 4, 2011, Andrei signed a three-year contract with CSKA, if the lockout ended, he could return to the NBA. On December 31, 2011, Andrey Kirilenko made the final decision that he would play for CSKA until the end of the 2011-2012 season. February 6, 2013 Andrei Kirilenko was named the best European basketball player in 2012 according to the Italian edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport; this choice was made following a vote by players, coaches and journalists from 14 countries. This prestigious sports award was the second in his career - Andrei was previously awarded this honorary title in 2007.

In 2012, on July 27, Andrey Kirilenko decided to take advantage of the contract option allowing him to return to the NBA and signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves club, in which he plays with another Russian, Alexei Shved, who also transferred from CSKA.

The Timberwolves got off to a pretty good start to the 2012-2013 season, even though players were plagued by injuries in the first few games. So, the key player Kevin Love was forced to watch the game from the stands, point guard Ricky Rubio returned to the floor only on December 15, 2012 in a match with the Dallas Mavericks, Nikola Pekovich and Jay-Jay Barea missed matches. Kirilenko started the season in the starting lineup, served as the main defense specialist and, being the most experienced player, became a mentor for the youth in the team.

After the 2013-2014 season, Kirilenko used the option to extend his contract with Brooklyn and play for the club in the 2014-2015 season.

On December 11, 2014, Brooklyn traded Kirilenko and Jorge Gutierrez to the Philadelphia 76ers. Due to Kirilenko's refusal to play for Philadelphia, the club disqualified the player and terminated his contract. Kirilenko was drafted for waivers on February 22, and received free agent status on February 24 after none of the NBA clubs claimed rights to him.

In February, CSKA announced the signing of Andrei Kirilenko before the end of the season.

Kirilenko made his debut with the national team in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics. He played at the European Championships 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, the 2002 World Championship. From the first appearances for the national team, Kirilenko became the leader of the Russian team, defining its game.

Memorable for Kirilenko was the EuroBasket 2007 in Spain. The Russian national team for the first time in its history became the winner of the championship of the continent. Kirilenko played several bright matches, the best of which was the semi-final with Lithuania. In this meeting, the striker scored 29 points, having implemented 9 of 11 shots from the game. As a result of the tournament, Andrey was included in the symbolic team of the tournament and was recognized as the MVP of the tournament and received the title of Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation.

In 2008, on August 8, Andrei was honored to carry the Russian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The Russian team went to the Olympics with the strongest squad. In the first match, the Russians confidently outplayed Iran, but then followed by defeats from Croatia, Lithuania, Australia and Argentina. The Russian team took fifth place in the group and did not advance to the next round.

In 2009, Kirilenko refused to take part in EuroBasket 2009 due to family reasons. He also missed the FIBA ​​World Championship the following year.

In 2011, Kirilenko returned to the national team to participate in the European Championship in Lithuania. The Russians finished the tournament with only one defeat in eleven matches - against the French team in the semi-finals. In the match for third place, the Russian team beat the Macedonian team in a bitter struggle and won bronze medals. According to the results of the EuroBasket, Kirilenko entered the symbolic team of the tournament.

In 2012, Andrei Kirilenko took part in the Summer Olympic Games in London, where the team won a bronze medal. Along the way group tournament Kirilenko was one of the leading players on the team, spending the most playing time on the court, becoming the team's leader in points and rebounds per game. In the opening match of the group stage, in the game against the UK team, Kirilenko scored a record 35 points.

On the group stage the national team won 4 matches out of 5, including the Spaniards - the reigning European champions, and took first place in the group. In the victorious quarter-finals against the Lithuanian national team, Kirilenko became top scorer in the team. But in the semi-finals, in the game against the Spanish national team, the Russian team lost, and Kirilenko scored only 10 points.

In the game for bronze medals, the Russians defeated the Argentina national team, Andrei spent 36 minutes on the court and scored 20 points. Following the results of the championship, Andrey entered the symbolic team of the tournament according to the ESPN channel.

In 2012, on August 13, Andrei was awarded the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree, for his "great contribution to the development physical culture and sports, high sports achivments at the Games of the XXX Olympiad 2012 in London.

In September 2013, he announced his retirement from the national team.

Andrei Kirilenko is the undisputed number one in recent history domestic basketball. Having become the star of the Russian championship, he went to the NBA, where he soon earned an excellent reputation among colleagues, coaches and journalists.

Kirilenko Andrey Gennadievich

Born 02/18/1981

Player career:

• Spartak St. Petersburg (1996-1998).
• CSKA Moscow (1998-2001).
• "Utah Jazz" (2001-2011).
• CSKA Moscow (2011-2012).
• Minnesota Timberwolves (2012-2013).
• Brooklyn Nets (2013-2014).
• CSKA Moscow (2015).

Team Achievements:

• Bronze medalist at the 2012 Olympics.
• European Champion 2007.
• Bronze medalist at the 2011 European Championship.
• Champion of Russia 1999, 2000, 2012.
• Champion of the VTB United League 2012, 2015.

Personal achievements:

• Most Valuable Player of the 2007 European Championship.
• The best European basketball player in 2012.
• 2012 Euroleague Regular Championship Most Valuable Player.
• Most Valuable Player of the 2012 VTB United League regular season and playoffs.
• The best player of the championships of Russia in 2000, 2012.
• 3 NBA All-Star Defense Teams (2004-2006)
• Member of the 2004 NBA All-Star Game.
• 2005 NBA regular season leader in blocks.

Later career:

• President of the Russian Basketball Federation (2015-present).

Petersburg talent

Kirilenko was born in sports family In particular, his mother was a professional basketball player. In Leningrad, where Andrei was transferred shortly after the birth, he began to play basketball. The boy quickly made people talk about himself in the city, and soon became the champion of Russia as part of the St. Petersburg team among the guys of his year of birth.

Kirilenko made his debut for the local Spartak when he was 15 years old - this is a record in the history of the Russian championships. And if at first he was released only in order to "breathe" with the game, then from the next season Andrey firmly entrenched himself at the core of the team. At the age of 17, he already scored more than 10 points per game, becoming the subject of discussion of all specialists.

In 1997, Kirilenko became the most valuable player of the European Youth Championship and won silver medals together with the Russian team. A year later, he again becomes the second - this time at the World youth games in Moscow.

Just the same in the summer of 1998, Kirilenko moved to the capital - the St. Petersburg star was taken to the main club of the country - CSKA. In the camp of the army, Andrey does not hesitate and, as in Spartak, becomes the most important part of the mechanism. Over the three seasons spent at CSKA, he brings his average performance to 14.5 points per game and leaves for the NBA as a two-time champion of Russia and the main hope of domestic basketball.

Kirilenko is a small forward, while he is good at rebounding and excels especially in defensive actions; his regular diet includes block shots, interceptions. And how Andrey flies over the ring, just a feast for the eyes. His dunks look no worse than their overseas counterparts. However, all this could turn out to be an ordinary illusion until Kirilenko shows himself in the best League in the world.

NBA career

Andrei went overseas at the age of 20. Utah, which drafted him in the summer of 1999, was in need of replenishment. The longtime leaders of the team were in pre-retirement basketball age and began to give up predictably.

Kirilenko's debut in the NBA can be considered successful. At the end of the first season, he got into the symbolic five of the League's newcomers, which meant one thing - Andrey was recognized. And although the first two years he mostly went to the floor from the bench, Jerry Sloane liked his game. Andrei disciplinedly followed the instructions of the coach and showed himself to be a real team player.

In the summer of 2003, Utah immediately lost its stars - Malone went to the Lakers to and, and Stockton ended his career. Thus, Kirilenko became the team's main attacking option. Of course, Andrei has never been a real sniper. Yes, he could attack both from behind the arc and after solo passes, but still he did it with not the highest percentage. But times have changed, and the initiative in the attack still had to be taken.

He finished three championships in a row with an excess of 15 points per match. But first of all, Kirilenko showed himself as a great all-rounder. He collected around 8 rebounds, made 3-4 assists, 2 interceptions and about 3 blocks per night. According to the latest indicator, he became the leader of the 2004/2005 season.

For three years in a row, Andrei was a member of the NBA All-Star Defense Team, and in the winter of 2004, he made it to the All-Star Game. In fact, Kirilenko was crowned. And if not for Andrey's excessive lack of egoism and not for the best natural throw, Kirilenko would have been a real superstar of the Association.

Unfortunately, Sloan realized that making the main bet in attacking our compatriot is not the best way. As a result, Kirilenko's playing time was reduced from 37 to 30 minutes per match, and the number of shots performed by Andrey has predictably decreased. Kirilenko spent the five remaining championships in Utah at the level of the first seasons - solid, but nothing more.

Having moved after the lockout in the summer of 2012 to Minnesota, Andrei spent good season in the camp of the "wolves", but at the end of it he made a mistake. Without renewing the agreement with his employer, Kirilenko moved to Mikhail Prokhorov's Brooklyn club, but lost both in money and in the game.

In the Nets, his statistics became the worst in all the years of his career in the NBA, and as a result, Andrei was sold to Philadelphia. However, Kirilenko refused to play for her, and he was put up for a waiver draft. On this, the career of our striker overseas ended.

European maestro

Despite the fact that Andrei failed to become a real star in the NBA, by European standards he grew into a big player. Between playing for Utah and Minnesota, Andrey played for CSKA for a year, for which Russian basketball fans can thank the lockout overseas.

Andrey Kirilenko is the leader of CSKA

Kirilenko of 2011/2012 is absolutely the best player in Europe. He was especially good in Euroleague matches, becoming its most valuable player in the regular season. Surely Andrey would have been recognized as the MVP of the Final Four, if not for the outright failure of CSKA in the fourth quarter of the decisive match, which allowed Olympiacos to catch up with the army team first, and snatch victory at the end of the meeting.

Despite numerous victories with CSKA and two bronze medals with the national team (European Championship 2011 and Olympics 2012), EuroBasket 2007 will forever remain the most important tournament in Kirilenko's career. Our team arrived in Spain in a status far from being a favorite. Nevertheless, from match to match, David Blatt's wards added, and it was Kirilenko who was the ringleader on the site.

Andrey, who missed the leading functions in Utah, took his soul away at this championship. Taking the lead in difficult moments, he, as a rule, did not let him down. It’s not worth talking about impeccable defensive actions - throughout his career they have been his forte. In the semi-finals and finals, Kirilenko became the most productive player in our team and at the end of the tournament was deservedly recognized as its most valuable player.

Andrey Kirilenko - European champion-2007

Hero of Russia

For Russia, Kirilenko is truly priceless. After the generation of Karasev, he became the first star of the new Russian basketball and our only compatriot who was able to make a decent career in the NBA. Yes, he failed to become a truly top player overseas, but among Europeans there are, in principle, only a few of them.

But in the national team, Andrey showed himself as befits the best basketball player in Russia. Kirilenko became a symbol of a generation that was able to reverse a series of long-term failures and win medals for the country at the largest competitions.

Andrei ended his career two years ago at the age of 34. He could well play in CSKA today and be one of the best among the army. But Kirilenko decided otherwise, and now he is the president of the Russian Basketball Federation, in which a few years ago there were more scandals than ever before.

Having barely finished his playing career, Andrey Gennadievich almost immediately set to work for the benefit of his country. And if he manages to be as effective in this field as he is on the court, everything will be fine in Russian basketball.

Andrey Gennadyevich Kirilenko, now head of the RFB, is one of the most titled basketball players of our time. Alexander Gomelsky, the legendary coach, whose authority in the world of sports is unshakable, once said about the young striker: "Such players are born once in a hundred years." Let's get acquainted in more detail with the biography of a celebrity and his achievements.

"It's About Gene"

Kirilenko's parents lived in Leningrad, but their homeland future star became Izhevsk. The father at that time was in the army, so the mother decided to leave for her relatives. Four months later, Olga Kirilenko and her son returned home, where Andrei spent his childhood. The year of birth of the future star is 1981, February 18.

Parents connected their lives with sports: my father coached football players, my mother was an active basketball player. Later she worked as a physical education teacher. Andrei followed in the footsteps of his mother, and his younger brother followed in his father's footsteps, choosing football.

In the future, the basketball player was often asked if the origins of his talent lie in the genes. What did Andrei Kirilenko, whose height is 208 cm, answer? Jokingly, he always said: "It's in the Gene." This is the name of the father of the celebrity, who introduced him to the sport and instilled real fighting qualities.

But the height of the parents was normal: for the mother - 172 cm, for the father - 181. Andrey surprised with his performance from the first grade. Alexei Vasiliev, his first coach, somehow appeared on the threshold of the school and selected the three tallest first-graders into the section. One of them was the hero of our article.

The beginning of the sports biography of Andrei Kirilenko

With the choice of life path, the young man decided on early years. This was also the merit of the first coach, who conveyed to the pupil the love for the wonderful ball game. Vasiliev remained Kirilenko's mentor until graduating from a secondary educational institution.

In the fifth grade, he transferred to sports school, completely subordinating the way of life training process. Thanks to his great desire and willpower, a month before his 16th birthday, Kirilenko entered the floor as part of the St. Petersburg Spartak, his first professional team. This is a unique case in the history of basketball.

In 1997, the young man was invited to the junior team, in which he took part in the European Championship (under 16). The team became a silver medalist, and Andrei Kirilenko became a basketball player who was awarded the title of the most valuable player at that tournament.

Playing for CSKA

In 1998, the athlete moved to the capital. Stanislav Eremin invites a rising star to CSKA. Despite his youth, Andrei showed what he was capable of in the very first game. His result is 25 points per match. Next season, he will already be recognized as the best player in the championship.

Together with the army team Andrey Kirilenko becomes the winner of the championship of Russia and NEBL. Only the Euroleague does not give in to the club, where it ends the fight at the 1/8 final stage. Number 13 is firmly assigned to the player, he is recognized, journalists are happy to talk about the phenomenon in the basketball world.

From this team in 2001, Kirilenko will go overseas, where he will spend 13! seasons in the NBA. Until 2011, he will play for the Utah Jazz. He will play one more season for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Brooklyn Nets. During the breaks, he will return to CSKA twice - in 2011/2012 and 2015. Both returns will be victorious, because the club will win the Russian championship, in 2012 FIBA ​​recognizes Kirilenko as the best European player.

Over the ocean

None of Russian players a career in the NBA did not develop as successfully as Kirilenko's. His draft number in 1999 is 24, but by the end of the 2001/2002 season, the basketball player will close the top three of the best rookies of the year according to the voting results. Together with “Utah” Kirilenko will repeatedly enter the playoffs, but he will not succeed in becoming a champion in 10 full seasons.

However, Andrey Kirilenko, number 47, has become one of the highest paid players. His personal achievements are amazing:

• 2004 NBA All-Star with 12 minutes of playing time.
• 2005 year. Top Blocked Player - 220.
• Season 2005/2006. Author of two triple-doubles.
• 2004, 2005, 2006 Included in the symbolic team of the NBA All-Defensive Team, recognizing one of the best defense players.

For “Utah” Kirilenko will play 680 games, missing games only due to injuries. The 2004/2005 season was especially difficult. The basketball player failed to take the floor in 41 matches, having problems with his back, knees, and ankle.

Team game

With short breaks for family reasons, Andrei Kirilenko played for the main national team countries from 2001 to 2013. He has three Olympics to his credit. The best achievement is the bronze of the London Games in 2012. The team leader led his comrades to the floor, wearing the captain's armband. He truly defined the team's game, as evidenced by the fact that in the match against Argentina (a game for medals), he spent 36 minutes out of 40 on the field.

Five times Kirilenko played at the European Championships, in 2002 - at the World Championships. He is one of the victors of the victory in 2007, after which he can rightfully be proud of the title of Honored Master of Sports. In the semifinal match against Lithuania, the basketball player scored 29 points. The implementation of 9 out of 11 shots from the field speaks of the incredible psychological stability and skill of the player.

In 2011, together with his comrades at EuroBasket, the athlete again won bronze, returning to the country leadership positions on the continent.

RSE President

Kirilenko ended his career in the national team in 2013, and in 2015 he left CSKA, declaring his desire to run for president of the RSE. In the summer of 2015, he was the only candidate for this post, as his opponent Dmitry Domani refused to fight.

At the election conference, they could vote against Kirilenko's candidacy, but 215 people unanimously supported the successful athlete. In August 2016, re-elections were held, in which the term of office of the incumbent president was extended for another 4 years. This suggests that the head of the federation is on the right track.

The national team managed to qualify for the main European tournament, the RFB began to pay off multimillion-dollar debts, and the official website stepped up its work. The newly-minted sports functionary can be seen in the photo.

Andrey Kirilenko pays a lot of attention to the development of children's and youth basketball, with pleasure he conducts master classes, traveling around the country.

Personal life

In an interview, an outstanding athlete says that he is happily married. At the time of his acquaintance with Maria Lopatova in January 2001, he could not even imagine that at the children's project "Basketball of the Future" he met the daughter of the world basketball champion A. Lopatov. Kirilenko found out about this a little later.

At that time, the girl was not free, she developed an affair with A. Grigoriev-Appolonov. In addition, she was eight years older. However, this did not prevent their relationship, which ended in a wedding seven months later. Andrey Kirilenko went to play in the NBA not alone.

The couple lived in Salt Lake City, having bought a house in the property. Maria created comfort, was friends with the wives of teammates, was the main fan of her husband. In 2003, the couple created Kirilenko's Kids, a children's charitable foundation. Since 2006, its activities have been actively developing in Russia. The wife of Andrei Kirilenko is fully involved in his activities.

The couple has four children. The younger Andrei was born in 2015. He already had two brothers and a sister. Fedor and Stepan are the couple's own children, and a girl named Alexandra was adopted in 2009.

Instead of a conclusion

Andrey Kirilenko at the age of 37 has achieved a lot, relying on those with whom he once won EuroBasket 2007. Having government awards, he considers his main achievement the right to be the standard bearer at the 2008 Olympics. At the opening of the Beijing Games, Russia entrusted him with the flag of the country, which he proudly carried around the Olympic stadium.

In one of the interviews, the President of the RFB stated: long time Basketball was his main focus. Playing in the NBA, he understood: even CSKA - the leader of the domestic championship - overseas would be just an outsider. The revival of basketball is impossible without a bet on development children's sports.

It is with this that Kirilenko's activities in the charitable foundation are connected. Only at online auctions does he manage to raise huge funds for the construction of playgrounds, master classes and the publication of special literature.

The new experience helped him change priorities. Today, the President of the RFB says: the main thing is the family, for the sake of which people strive for great achievements. And this is his main achievement.

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Yulia Alexandrovna Petrova, Elena Borisovna Spiridonova Andrei Gennadievich Kirilenko - Russian basketball player

Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko is a Russian professional basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association, plays as a light or power forward. At the age of 15 he made his debut in adult basketball. He is the captain of the Russian national basketball team and the highest paid Russian athlete in the history of Russian sports. His last six-year contract, signed in 2004 with the Utah Jazz, is $89 million. In accordance with this contract, Andrei Kirilenko will play for the Utah Jazz until 2011, that is, until his thirtieth birthday.

Tell the story like one famous Russian coach in basketball told his players: “If you guys think that NBA guys in expensive suits are just waiting to write you a check for seven zeros, then you are very mistaken. With their parkers with golden feathers, they will put on the contract exactly the amount that corresponds to your real value. And not a cent more."

Indeed, in America they know how to count money, and in the NBA, stars differ from just good players primarily by the amount stated in the contract, and the Russian athlete Andrei Kirilenko, with his $ 89 million, rightfully takes pride of place on the American basketball Olympus.

It is believed that in Russia for a long time there has not been such a talented basketball player who conquers one professional peak after another with ease that boggles the imagination. The National Basketball Association is one of the most inaccessible sports planets for Russia, and Kirilenko managed to conquer it too.

The athlete has been playing in the NBA since the summer of 2001, after signing a contract with the Utah Jazz team. When he left, many did not believe in his success, they told him: “Where you are going, you will be crushed there, marinated on the bench,” but Kirilenko’s first year in the NBA was enough to silence the skeptics. Thus, Andrei Kirilenko is the first and so far the only Russian athlete to reach the level of the NBA playoffs, where at the age of 22 he managed to become one of the best newcomers to the association.

Kirilenko made his debut as a player for the Utah Jazz on October 30, 2001 in the opening game of the NBA regular season, scoring 16 points in 16 minutes, making 5 rebounds and 1 steal. His team played against Milwaukee. Just a few months after his debut, Kirilenko was recognized best sniper Utah in the regular season match against Memphis, in which the athlete managed to score 15 points.

In one of his interviews, Andrei Kirilenko admitted: “When I was little and just started playing basketball, I thought about getting into some good team. At the beginning, this “dream team” was Spartak St. Petersburg, then CSKA. So it turned out that he played a year in Spartak, and then an invitation from Eremin followed to try himself in the army club. So everything I dreamed of came true. Now I play for the Utah Jazz in the NBA. And this is also a dream come true, because I consider playing in the American League a significant step forward in my development as a basketball player.

In April 2002, Andrei Kirilenko was recognized as one of the best rookies of the 2001/2002 season, and at the end of the season he entered the symbolic five of the NBA rookies.

The leader of the Utah Jazz basketball team, Karl Malone, commented on the young partner: “Of course, Andrey still has a lot to learn. But I have not met a guy with such abilities in a long time. There is something in him ... from a bat. Team coach Jerry Sloan also agreed with Malone, who noted that Kirilenko “shows something new on the court every day, he plays uninhibitedly, and improvises more than usual for our players. At the same time, Kirilenko brings new features to the playing style of our club.” Incredibly, this was said about a young rookie in American basketball whose style evolved over a hundred years.

American fans nicknamed Kirilenko AK-47 in accordance with the initials of the name and surname, as well as by analogy with one of the varieties of the Kalashnikov assault rifle model. Andrei himself is not against such a nickname, which is why he took the number 47th. “The achievements of the Russian military industry are very popular in the West,” says the athlete, “Bure is a Russian rocket. There was a hockey player Yakushev - Yak-40. Kafelnikov is called "Kalashnikov". My initials are AK - so God himself ordered.

Basketball fans of "Utah" at each match with the participation of Kirilenko hang out home-made posters with inscriptions in English: "Andrey is handsome! Forward!" and in Russian: "Welcome!"

“I have a motto: ‘Ayga!’,” Kirilenko says, “which means ‘Forward!’ in Tatar. When the Tatars are asked: ‘When will we go back? In following this motto, Andrey sees the secret of his successful sports career, and Kirilenko also believes: “The main thing is not to lose before the match, not to think that we are ordinary earthly basketball players, and in the NBA there are all gods, against whom it is impossible to fight. One has only to calm this trembling - and that's it, you can play with them and win.

Andrey Kirilenko's working day starts at 7.30, having a light breakfast, the basketball player goes to training, at 8.15 he is already at the doctor, who applies teips - this is the name of special insurance that protects the ankles from injuries and dislocations, then rubbing with special ointments for warming up follows and starts at 10.00 workout lasting about two hours.

Andrei also notes how relations develop between mentors and their wards. For example, in America, an athlete will never allow himself to talk with a coach in raised tones during training, and even more so to argue. In addition, the coach himself during training is extremely firm and demanding of athletes. But after training, he is a cheerful, sweet person without any hint of his own significance.

In Utah Jazz, Andrey discovered rules that were unusual for Russian athletes, for example, not to shake hands with a fallen opponent. This rule was introduced by team leader Karl Malone. When one day during the game, Kirilenko dropped one player, and then gave him a hand, Malone yelled at him, and in the locker room explained: “I set such a rule, and we want you to follow it.”

According to Andrei, when preparing for a game, he tries to dress very neatly so that nothing interferes during the game, he carefully puts teips on his legs. He says that every basketball player has his own certain tradition how to tie shoelaces correctly, in what order to put on socks, etc.

His height is 207 centimeters, after the end of his basketball career, he dreams of building basketball halls, swimming pools or organizing his own basketball school. His ideal of a woman is Pamela Anderson, but in general, in women, Andrei appreciates, first of all, kindness, politeness, beauty and intelligence. Of the men, he respects Alexander Karelin and also Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, according to Andrey, is a thorough, cold-blooded person and can make everything out of nothing. Kirilenko does not drink alcohol, but drinks milk, wears shoes of the fiftieth size, which, like clothes, are made to order for him. If he had the opportunity to have a pet, then most likely it would be a panther. He wears a jersey with the number 47, although the athlete's favorite number is 13, Kirilenko believes that this number brings him good luck. And Andrei Kirilenko also has three favorite cities - St. Petersburg, Moscow and Salt Lake City. The first, according to the basketball player, is good for the soul, the second is for life, and the third is for the family, because the climate here is similar to Russia.

Speaking of Russia. Being the captain of the Russian basketball team, Andrey is simply indispensable for the national team. This was clearly shown by the recent World Basketball Championship, during which Kirilenko suffered a leg injury. Left without their leader, the Russians could not rise above tenth place.

In 2004 Andrey signed another contract with Nike. Over the years of previous cooperation, the athlete managed to get to know the company's products quite well and personally see how comfortable their products are. Nike, in turn, provides Kirilenko with the opportunity to choose a certain amount of goods for free, which the athlete gives to novice basketball players at the Frunze Sports School in St. Petersburg, where he once trained himself. In addition, under the contract, Kirilenko holds various events organized by Nike 3-4 times a year. The contract with the company is designed for 5 years, during which the famous basketball player will receive 550 thousand dollars a year.

The 2005/06 season was unsuccessful for Andrey, the injuries he received prevented the athlete from showing a decent game. After club owner Larry Miller stated that the basketball player "walks on thin ice Due to the weak game and harsh statements in the press, rumors spread that the Utah Jazz intended to get rid of the player. Other teams became interested in the transfer value of the Russian basketball player. However, the vice president of the Utah Jazz NBA club, Kevin O "Connor, said: "These assumptions are absolutely unfounded. We are not going to exchange Andrei Kirilenko," and also noted that the increased interest in the athlete from other clubs only proves that "Utah Jazz is not in vain spending large sums on the salary of a Russian.

Kirilenko confirmed this in the 2006/07 season. In an interview with Sport-Express, he stated that he was in great shape, and also expressed his opinion about his own income: “Every person deserves what he deserves. I earn my money. If you look at my body, it's all wounded. In fact, paying the kind of money that they pay in the NBA is, in my opinion, crazy. But such is American professional basketball. First of all, this is a business, not a sport. Thanks to a well-established highly developed industry, all costs are more than paid off.

Curriculum vitae

Andrei Kirilenko was born on February 18, 1981 in the city of Izhevsk. He became interested in basketball at the age of seven, and at the age of ten he was already invited to train at a sports school in St. Petersburg. In 1995–1996 Kirilenko as part of the city team becomes the champion of Russia in his age category. A talented young man was noticed and an invitation to the adult team soon followed.

In 1997, 15-year-old Andrey played his first debut match for the Super League team Spartak. In a victorious match over teammates from Moscow, Kirilenko earned not only the first "adult" 3 points, but also the title of the youngest player in the history of the Super League. In the summer of the same year, the Russian youth team, led by Kirilenko, won silver medals at the European Championships, and the forward himself was recognized as one of the best players in the tournament.

In the 1997/1998 season. the novice basketball player regularly appeared in the starting five of Spartak.

In 1998, Kirilenko, at the invitation of Stanislav Eremin, moved to Moscow, where he began his performances for the CSKA team, demonstrating his readiness for “big” basketball literally from the first games.

According to the Sport-Express newspaper, Kirilenko was recognized as the most progressive player in the 1998/1999 season championship, and foreign clubs became interested in him.

In 1999, Kirilenko entered the 1999 NBA draft and was selected by the Utah Jazz. Kirilenko was the youngest European in basketball history to be drafted at just over 19 years old.

Andrey Kirilenko also turned out to be the youngest in the history of the “all-stars of Europe” matches, in which the athlete took part in December 1999.

In May 2000, Kirilenko won the gold medals of the Russian championship for the second time and was recognized as the best player in the championship, and by the end of the year he became best basketball player Russia according to the Russian Basketball Federation. European recognition soon came: the French weekly Basket News named Kirilenko the best basketball player in Europe in the 2000/2001 season.

Since 2001, Andrei Kirilenko has been a player for the Utah Jazz.

Andrei Kirilenko has been married for several years and has two sons.

Curriculum vitae