Profile: Andrei Gennadyevich Kirilenko - Russian National Team and CSKA Moscow Forward

<<Андрей Геннадьевич Кириленко>>

SF6' 9", 235 lbs

Born: Feb 18, 1981 (Age: 34)

Drafted: 1999-> 1st Rnd, 24th by UTAH

College: None

Experience: 12 years

In 2001, Kirilenko joined the Utah Jazz of the NBA, who drafted him in 1999. He became the first Russian player selected in the first round of a draft and the youngest European player drafted. He made the NBA All-Rookie First Team after his first season, was an NBA All-Defensive Team pick three times and played in the 2004 All-Star Game. In 2012, he led CSKA Moscow to the Euroleague Final, being named the competition's MVP, while earning an All-Euroleague first team selection. He also won the Euroleague Defensive Player of the Year award the same year.

FUN FACT!!!:

Kirilenko is nicknamed "AK-47", in reference to both his initials and jersey number, and the AK-47 rifle. Coincidentally, Kirilenko was born in the city of Izhevsk, in the former Soviet Union (now Russia), where the weapon was first manufactured