# Andrei Kirilenko (Андрей Геннадьевич Кириленко)
**Andrei Kirilenko** (Андрей Геннадьевич Кириленко; born 1981 in Izhevsk, Russia) is a Russian former professional basketball player and current basketball administrator who spent 10 seasons with the [Utah Jazz](https://www.edgepedia.org/utah-jazz) in the NBA, won the [EuroBasket](https://www.edgepedia.org/eurobasket) 2007 title with Russia, and was unanimously elected president of the Russian Basketball Federation in 2015.[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1905/andrei-kirilenko) • [2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) • [3](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-elected-president-of-russian-basketball-federation) Known by the nickname AK-47, a play on his initials and his Utah jersey number 47, he built his reputation on defensive versatility, filling statistical categories rarely combined in one player.[4](https://jazzbasketball.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/extreme-ways-andrei-kirilenkos-utah-jazz-legacy/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981, Izhevsk, Russia; 6'9" (2.06 m), 235 lb (107 kg)[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1905/andrei-kirilenko) |
| NBA draft | 1999, first round, 24th overall by the Utah Jazz; the first Russian selected in the first round and, at 18 years, 4 months, 12 days, the youngest European player drafted up to that point[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1905/andrei-kirilenko) • [5](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KMINTMG-2013.pdf) |
| NBA career | Utah Jazz 2001–2011, Minnesota Timberwolves 2012–13, Brooklyn Nets 2013–14; career averages of 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1905/andrei-kirilenko) • [2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) |
| NBA honors | 2004 NBA All-Star; NBA All-Rookie Team (2002); NBA All-Defensive First Team (2006) and Second Team (2004, 2005); NBA leader in blocked shots (2005)[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) |
| Signature stat | Three career "5×5" games, at least five in each of five statistical categories in one game; one of only two players with multiple such games[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661474-utah-jazz-where-does-andrei-kirilenko-rate-among-jazz-players-of-the-past) |
| European peak | 2011–12 EuroLeague MVP, Best Defender, and All-EuroLeague First Team with CSKA Moscow; EuroBasket 2007 champion and MVP with Russia[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) • [7](https://admin.euroleague.net/news/i/9niqdeqyypvxto7w/legend-andrei-kirilenko-cska-moscow) |
| Post-playing | Unanimously elected president of the Russian Basketball Federation in 2015, two months after retiring as a player[3](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-elected-president-of-russian-basketball-federation) |
## Early life and draft
Kirilenko was born in Izhevsk, Russia, and began playing basketball at age seven at a coach's suggestion.[5](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KMINTMG-2013.pdf) He played for Spartak Saint Petersburg from 1996 to 1998 before joining CSKA Moscow, where he won Russian championships in 1998–99 and 1999–00 and was named Russian League MVP in 1999–00.[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/)
The Utah Jazz selected him 24th overall in the 1999 draft without a photo or a solid scouting report available on draft night; the late coach Rick Majerus offered the tidbit that he was nicknamed "the white Dr. J."[4](https://jazzbasketball.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/extreme-ways-andrei-kirilenkos-utah-jazz-legacy/) He remained with CSKA until joining Utah for the 2001–02 season.[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/)
## Utah Jazz career, 2001–2011
Kirilenko joined a Jazz team still led by [John Stockton](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-stockton) and [Karl Malone](https://www.edgepedia.org/karl-malone) and quickly became a fan favorite, making the [NBA All-Rookie Team](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-all-rookie-team) in 2001–02.[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661474-utah-jazz-where-does-andrei-kirilenko-rate-among-jazz-players-of-the-past) • [2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) After the two Utah legends retired, he became a centerpiece of the team and was generally recognized as Utah's best player from about 2004 until Deron Williams came into his own around 2006.[8](https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3711209&itype=CMSID)
**The 2003–04 and 2005–06 peaks.** Kirilenko made the Western Conference All-Star team in 2004 and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2004 and 2005 and the First Team in 2006.[8](https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3711209&itype=CMSID) • [2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) In 2005–06 he played 69 games and averaged 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while leading the NBA in total blocks with 220.[9](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/2016-17-Media-Guide-Jazz.pdf) • [6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661474-utah-jazz-where-does-andrei-kirilenko-rate-among-jazz-players-of-the-past) The following season he led the league in blocks per game at 3.3.[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661474-utah-jazz-where-does-andrei-kirilenko-rate-among-jazz-players-of-the-past)
**The 5×5 games.** Kirilenko recorded three career 5×5 games, meaning at least five points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a single game. He was one of only two players to record multiple 5×5 games, with three, and the last player to record one as of 2006.[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661474-utah-jazz-where-does-andrei-kirilenko-rate-among-jazz-players-of-the-past) He scored 30 or more points only twice in his NBA career, a contrast that captures a game built on defense, passing, and activity rather than scoring volume.[4](https://jazzbasketball.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/extreme-ways-andrei-kirilenkos-utah-jazz-legacy/)
His later Utah years were cut into by injuries, which reduced his effectiveness, especially toward the end of his tenure.[8](https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3711209&itype=CMSID) Fan opinion in Utah divided over his maximum contract and whether he returned to his early-career level, though his play was often considered higher than his raw statistics suggested.[6](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661474-utah-jazz-where-does-andrei-kirilenko-rate-among-jazz-players-of-the-past) He is the only Jazz player to have played with Stockton and Malone, with [Deron Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/deron-williams) and [Carlos Boozer](https://www.edgepedia.org/carlos-boozer), and with [Gordon Hayward](https://www.edgepedia.org/gordon-hayward) and Derrick Favors.[4](https://jazzbasketball.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/extreme-ways-andrei-kirilenkos-utah-jazz-legacy/)
## Later NBA seasons and return to CSKA
After 10 seasons in Utah, Kirilenko returned to CSKA Moscow during the [2011 NBA lockout](https://www.edgepedia.org/2011-nba-lockout) and had one of the most decorated single seasons in European club basketball: the 2011–12 EuroLeague MVP award, the EuroLeague Best Defender Trophy, a place on the All-EuroLeague First Team, and the VTB United League regular season and Final Four MVP awards, as CSKA reached the [EuroLeague](https://www.edgepedia.org/euroleague) final.[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) • [7](https://admin.euroleague.net/news/i/9niqdeqyypvxto7w/legend-andrei-kirilenko-cska-moscow) He led the EuroLeague in assists that season with 5.9 per game.[10](https://cskabasket.ru/en/news/n/kirilenko-krstich-teodosich-v-simvolicheskikh-pyaterkakh-evroligi-11079/) He became the second player to take home the EuroLeague Season MVP, Best Defender, and All-EuroLeague First Team trophies in the same season.[7](https://admin.euroleague.net/news/i/9niqdeqyypvxto7w/legend-andrei-kirilenko-cska-moscow)
He then returned to the NBA for one season with the [Minnesota Timberwolves](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-timberwolves) in 2012–13 and one with the [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooklyn-nets) in 2013–14, before a final stint with CSKA from February to June 2015, after which he retired as a player.[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) • [11](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-draws-curtain-on-fabulous-career)
## Russian national team
Kirilenko was a fixture of the Russian national team across more than a decade. He played at the 2000 and 2008 Olympic Games and at the European Championships of 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2011, and at the 2002 World Championship.[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) His peak came at EuroBasket 2007, where Russia won the title and he was named best forward and MVP of the tournament.[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) He added bronze medals at EuroBasket 2011, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team, and at the 2012 Olympic Games.[2](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/) He carried the Russian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[5](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KMINTMG-2013.pdf)
## Playing style and assessment
At his best, Kirilenko was regarded as one of the best defenders in the NBA, a player opponents did not enjoy facing; he blocked shots, played passing lanes, and guarded across positions at 6-foot-9.[8](https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3711209&itype=CMSID) Commentators have repeatedly asked whether his skill set, combining a forward's size with a playmaker's passing and defensive range, would have fit the modern NBA better than the era in which he played, when smaller, play-making power forwards reshaped the game.[12](https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2016/03/29/jazz-notes-was-andrei-kirilenko-a-player-ahead-of-his-time/) Kirilenko himself has embraced the framing, saying Russian players are trained in role-player skills rather than one-on-one scoring.[13](https://www.sportscasting.com/?p=1590873) He summarized his own career modestly: "I wouldn't say I was a superstar, but I was a good player in this league."[8](https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3711209&itype=CMSID)
## Post-playing career
Two months after announcing his retirement in 2015, Kirilenko was unanimously elected president of the Russian Basketball Federation in Moscow.[3](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-elected-president-of-russian-basketball-federation) • [11](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-draws-curtain-on-fabulous-career) He had said before the election that his experience in Russian, European, and American basketball qualified him for an administrative role.[11](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-draws-curtain-on-fabulous-career)
## References
1. [Andrei Kirilenko, NBA.com player profile](https://www.nba.com/player/1905/andrei-kirilenko)
2. [Andrey Kirilenko, CSKA Moscow official player page](https://cskabasket.ru/en/team/player/2892/)
3. [Kirilenko elected president of Russian Basketball Federation, FIBA](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-elected-president-of-russian-basketball-federation)
4. [Extreme Ways: Andrei Kirilenko's Utah Jazz Legacy, Jazz Basketball](https://jazzbasketball.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/extreme-ways-andrei-kirilenkos-utah-jazz-legacy/)
5. [Minnesota Timberwolves Media Guide (2013)](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/basketball/yearbooks/KMINTMG-2013.pdf)
6. [Utah Jazz: Where Does Andrei Kirilenko Rank Among Jazz Players of the Past?, Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/661474-utah-jazz-where-does-andrei-kirilenko-rate-among-jazz-players-of-the-past)
7. [Legend: Andrei Kirilenko, CSKA Moscow, Euroleague Basketball](https://admin.euroleague.net/news/i/9niqdeqyypvxto7w/legend-andrei-kirilenko-cska-moscow)
8. [Utah Jazz: Kobe may be bowing out, but it's Andrei Kirilenko's night, The Salt Lake Tribune](https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3711209&itype=CMSID)
9. [Utah Jazz 2005-06 media guide statistics](https://ak-static-int.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/2016-17-Media-Guide-Jazz.pdf)
10. [Kirilenko, Krstic and Teodosic are the 2011-12 All-Euroleague team nominees, CSKA Moscow](https://cskabasket.ru/en/news/n/kirilenko-krstich-teodosich-v-simvolicheskikh-pyaterkakh-evroligi-11079/)
11. [Kirilenko draws curtain on fabulous career, FIBA](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/news/kirilenko-draws-curtain-on-fabulous-career)
12. [Jazz notes: Was Andrei Kirilenko a player ahead of his time?, The Salt Lake Tribune](https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2016/03/29/jazz-notes-was-andrei-kirilenko-a-player-ahead-of-his-time/)
13. [Andrei Kirilenko loves the fact that he was ahead of his time, Sportscasting](https://www.sportscasting.com/?p=1590873)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › NBA players, 1996–2010 › NBA forwards, 1996–2010*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license