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SALT LAKE CITY — Andrei Kirilenko spent 10 of his 13 seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, and his legacy as a basketball player will forever be tied to this market.
Even if it didn’t come as much of a surprise, the 34-year-old Russian wing made it official Tuesday when he announced his retirement from basketball after finishing his third stint with CSKA Moscow in his native land.
“I decided to end my career,” he told Sportexpress. “This is my final decision. Now I would love to change something in Russian basketball."
The do-everything former Jazzman, who became known as AK-47, averaged 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in 797 games played with the Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Kirilenko ranks in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, blocks and games played in Jazz history. He was named an NBA All-Star in 2004, but he failed to live up to the expectations of a max contract, mostly due to injuries during his 10 years in Utah.
Kirilenko plans to run for president of the Russian Basketball Federation, according to basketball website sportando.
