"It's about Gene"
Kirilenko’s parents lived in Leningrad, but Izhevsk became the birthplace of the future star. My father was in the army at that time, so my mother decided to go to her family. Just 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.
My 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 his mother’s footsteps, and his younger brother followed in his father’s footsteps, choosing football.
Later, the basketball player was often asked whether the origins of his talent lay in his genes. What did Andrei Kirilenko, whose height is 208 cm, answer? As a joke, he always said: “It’s Gene.” This is the name of the celebrity’s father, who introduced him to the sport and instilled real fighting qualities.
But my parents’ height was normal: my mother’s was 172 cm, my father’s was 181 cm. Andrei surprised with his performance from the first grade. Alexey Vasiliev, his first coach, somehow appeared on the threshold of the school and selected the three tallest first-graders for the section. One of them was the hero of our article.
Childhood and youth of Andrei Kirilenko
Andrey was born on February 18, 1981. This event took place in the not-quite-hometown of the future athlete. The fact is that his parents lived in Leningrad, but during his mother’s pregnancy, his father was drafted into the army, and she went to give birth in her hometown of Izhevsk. Exactly, but for this reason Andrey’s passport indicates this place of birth.
But soon the family returned to Leningrad, which became the main city of childhood of the future star. Andrey's father and mother also played sports. My father led the women's football team, and my mother was an honored basketball player for many teams, including Burevestnik and Spartak.
As a child, Andrei was fond of swimming and football. But in the first grade of high school, I signed up for the basketball section and never parted with this sport. Therefore, already at the age of 14, he began playing basketball professionally as part of the youth team of St. Petersburg “Spartak”.
The beginning of the sports biography of Andrei Kirilenko
The young man decided on his choice of life path from an early age. This was also the merit of the first coach, who passed on to the pupil a love of a wonderful game with the ball. Vasiliev remained Kirilenko’s mentor until he graduated from a secondary educational institution.
In the fifth grade, he transferred to a sports school, completely subordinating his lifestyle to the training process. Thanks to his great desire and willpower, a month before his 16th birthday, Kirilenko entered the court 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, with which he took part in the European Championship (under 16 years old). The team became a silver medalist, and Andrei Kirilenko became a basketball player who was awarded the title of most valuable player at that tournament.
Andrey Kirilenko brief biography of basketball player
Andrei Gennadievich Kirilenko (1981) is a famous Russian basketball player, captain of the Russian national team.
Andrei Kirilenko was born on February 18, 1981 in the city of Izhevsk. I became interested in basketball professionally when I lived in St. Petersburg. There he began to participate in basketball competitions for the city team. And already in 1995, the first victory was won in the biography of Andrei Kirilenko. Then his team became the champion of Russia. In the entire history of the Russian Basketball Super League, Andrei was the youngest player (he was only 15 years old)..
In 1998, the athlete began playing for CSKA, the best basketball club in Russia. As a member of this team, Andrei Kirilenko became the champion of Russia twice: in 1999 and 2000. The 2000-2001 basketball season was remarkable for the basketball player as his team entered the FIBA Euroleague, the most prestigious competition in Europe, and reached the Final Four.
Professional sports qualities distinguish Andrei Kirilenko from other basketball players. The athlete combines excellent skills in defense, as well as in successfully passing passes. Andrey has highly developed team and individual skills. The basketball player plays in the positions of heavy and light forward.
Due to his high athletic performance, in June 1999 Andrei was selected to participate in the games of the NBA Utah Jazz club.
The debut game for this club in the biography of Andrei Kirilenko took place in the 2001-2002 season. The basketball player wore number 24. In his first season, Andrei showed a highly professional game, thanks to which he was included in the top five players among newcomers. A coincidence of circumstances, when the leading players of the Utah Jazz left, allowed Andrei Kirilenko to become the leading, best player of the team.
Nikita Presnyakov short biography of the actor
Having injured his hand in a game during the 2004-2005 season, the basketball player returned to the team the next season. In the biography of Andrei Kirilenko, the best season is, perhaps, 2005-2006. Having the highest performance indicators, such as the number of assists, steals, and shots made, Andrei was chosen as the best NBA player. But the very next season, the basketball player showed a less brilliant game. This was facilitated by the coach’s new strategy, in which Andrei was not part of the main attacking force. The athlete even announced a possible resignation if the situation does not change.
However, Kirilenko is the greatest Russian basketball player and often plays for the Russian national team. This was the case at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000, the European Championship in 2007. The basketball player’s successful games with Lithuania and Spain contributed to Andrey winning the title of “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) in 2007.
In May 2008, a scandal broke out around the athlete because Andrei missed training in Utah on the eve of an important match, which, by the way, was lost. However, the team coach took all the blame upon himself.
In July 2008, Andrei Kirilenko was chosen as the standard bearer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Carrying the Russian flag at the Olympic opening parade is a great honor for an athlete.
Physical data of the athlete: height – 206 cm, weight – 103 kg.
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Playing for CSKA
In 1998, the athlete moved to the capital. Stanislav Eremin invites a rising star to CSKA. Despite his youth, Andrei demonstrated in the first game what he was capable of. 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, Andrei Kirilenko becomes the winner of the Russian and NEBL championships. Only the Euroleague does not lend itself to the club, where it ends the fight at the 1/8 final stage. The number 13 is firmly assigned to the player, he is recognized, and 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 years! seasons in the NBA. Until 2011, he will play for the Utah Jazz. He will play one more season each 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.
Overseas
None of the Russian players had a career in the NBA as successful as Kirilenko. His draft number in 1999 was 24, but at the end of the 2001/2002 season, the basketball player, according to the voting results, will close the top three best rookies of the year. Together with Utah, Kirilenko will repeatedly reach the playoffs, but he will never succeed in becoming a champion in 10 full seasons.
However, Andrei Kirilenko, wearing No. 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. The best player in terms of blocked shots is 220.
- Season 2005/2006. Author of two triple-doubles.
- 2004, 2005, 2006 Included in the NBA All-Defensive Team, recognized as one of the best defensive players.
Kirilenko will play 680 matches for Utah, missing games only due to injuries. The 2004/2005 season was especially difficult. The basketball player failed to take to the floor in 41 matches, having problems with his back, knees, and ankle.
Playing for the national team
With short breaks for family reasons, Andrei Kirilenko played for the country's main national team from 2001 to 2013. He has three Olympics to his name. The best achievement is bronze at the London Games in 2012. The team leader led his teammates onto 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 (the medal game) he was on the field for 36 of the 40 minutes.
Kirilenko played at the European Championships five times, and at the World Championships in 2002. He is one of the triumphants of the 2007 victory, after which he can rightfully be proud of the title of Honored Master of Sports. In the semi-final match against Lithuania, the basketball player scored 29 points. Converting 9 out of 11 shots from the field speaks of the player’s incredible psychological stability and skill.
In 2011, together with his comrades at the EuroBasket, the athlete again won bronze, returning the country to its leading position on the continent.
The match with Spain scared me
— In addition to Andrei, you have a younger son. As far as I know, he played football. Where is he now? — Unlike Andrei, nature did not reward him with great health. He had a deviated nasal septum. Therefore, it was contraindicated for him to exercise in the spring and autumn - he could easily catch a cold. He had to stop training, and when he turned 20, he had surgery. It is not recommended to do it before this age, because the septum is not strong enough. Now he plays sports only as an amateur.
— Then a few questions about Andrey. Last year, when he moved to Russia from the NBA, did you start seeing each other more often? — I wouldn’t say much more often. We always keep in touch and don’t get lost. But you need to understand that he has his own family to which he is attached. And there is nothing wrong with the fact that he tries to spend time with her - his schedule is very difficult. That's why we try to visit him ourselves. In addition, he comes to St. Petersburg twice a year.
— How did you react to your son’s return to America, this time to Minnesota? - Not an easy question. On the one hand, I am, of course, glad that he is playing in the best league in the world. He really is a true athlete. And I'm proud of him. But you need to understand that the schedule of games in the NBA is very difficult - from two days to the third. It's truly exhausting. And as a father, of course, I worry about him. But this is his decision - you need to respect it. He discussed the possibility of moving with his whole family and consulted. I'm sure he's considered everything, he's a very serious person.
— Did you follow your son’s performance at the Olympics? - Certainly! The whole family and friends gathered and supported the basketball team. Andrey brought home a lot of equipment lately - we all dressed up and cheered for him. They even launched a small wave (laughs). I was especially worried about him in the match with Spain. It was probably his worst game of his life. I was so disappointed that I was even going to write to him and ask him not to disgrace his family like that again. Only later did I find out that he played with an injury and was all bandaged.
— Does he often call after key matches and share his experiences? “Andrey is so professional and focused on the task that he no longer worries so much at important moments. This comes with experience. But even in childhood there were stories when he surprised with his attitude to business.
- Tell me. “He was brought up in strict conditions. You either do well or you don’t. You need to give it your all. Enter the court, then give yourself to the game until the end. It seems to me that one of Andrey’s main qualities is concentration. Already as a child, he amazed with his abilities. So, in one of the matches he made five interceptions in a row - this was in childhood. The opponent throws the ball in, and Andrey intercepts and sends the ball into the ring. And so on five times. You look and you don’t understand how he does it. Elusive movements. And it’s all due to concentration.
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How a son helps his father
Part of the costs of maintaining Iskra is covered by Andrei Kirilenko’s charitable foundation, “Kirilenko for Children!” The foundation was created in 2003 in the USA, Salt Lake City, but received official status as a charitable organization in October 2004. As Gennady Ivanovich said, this organization is mainly involved in providing assistance to orphanages, boarding schools, hospitals, as well as sports schools and mass non-professional sports. It's not just about basketball.
— For the last three or four years, Andrey has really been helping the team. This mainly concerns equipment. But the problem of financing still remains - I’m lucky that my son can help. But there are other teams in Russia that are in a difficult situation. There are literally four - maximum five teams that do not have problems with financing. But there are only about sixty of them!
President of the RFB
Kirilenko ended his career in the national team in 2013, and in 2020 he left CSKA, declaring his desire to run for president of the RBF. In the summer of 2015, he was the only candidate for this post, since his opponent Dmitry Domani abandoned the fight.
At the election conference they could have voted against Kirilenko’s candidacy, but 215 people unanimously supported the successful athlete. In August 2016, re-elections took place, in which the term of office of the current 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 RBF began to pay off multimillion-dollar debts, and the official website intensified its work. The newly minted sports official can be seen in the photo.
Andrei Kirilenko pays a lot of attention to the development of children's and youth basketball, and enjoys conducting master classes while traveling around the country.
Personal life
In an interview, the outstanding athlete says that he is happy in his marriage. When he met 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 world basketball champion A. Lopatov. Kirilenko found out about this a little later.
At that time, the girl was not free; she was developing an affair with A. Grigoriev-Appolonov. Besides, she was eight years older. However, this did not interfere with their relationship, which ended in marriage seven months later. Andrei Kirilenko did not go to play in the NBA alone.
The couple lived in Salt Lake City and purchased a home. Maria created comfort, was friends with the wives of her teammates, and was her husband’s main fan. In 2003, the couple created Kirilenko's Kids, a children's charity foundation. Since 2006, its activities have been actively developing in Russia. Andrei Kirilenko’s wife fully participates in his activities.
The couple has four children. The youngest Andrey 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.
We knock out money like in the Stone Age
- Gennady Ivanovich, tell us about your team - few people know about it... - Now our team plays in the first leagues in women's football and women's mini-football. The question of conditions, of course, is quite difficult - women's sports, unfortunately, do not arouse such interest as men's. Therefore, funding is not at the same level. We participate in tournaments, achieve some results, but the city and regional sports committees provide insufficient assistance. Although at the beginning of each year we bring them an estimate and show them how the money is spent, they approve of it all. I don’t deny that there is some help, but we have to knock it out: we need to get out of the Stone Age. But I’m still a coach, not a manager. And this situation is incomprehensible to me. Thanks to the help of the head of the Gatchina Sports Committee, Alexander Ivanovich Astakhov, many issues are resolved. And, of course, I would like to say a special thank you to private investors - under the leadership of Alexander Nikolaevich Bykov and entrepreneur Evgeniy Danilevicius Vilavichius. These are God-sent people thanks to whom our team exists.
— In men's football, the lack of private capital is a big problem. Is it the same story in women's?
— Yes, in principle, the problem of women’s football is the same. But it is also complicated by the fact that there is less money here, and much less. It is very sad that after the collapse of the Soviet Union there was such a sharp money boom. Believe me, we need very modest finances.
- But they also need to be knocked out... - Often during the season you have to ask for money so that the team can simply go to the next away match. This includes travel, food, accommodation - no frills. We would like to feel cared for by the authorities. These include sports committees and local administrations. But, unfortunately, sometimes you have to deal with people who are poorly versed in sports.
— As part of your job, you spend a lot of time with young girls. Is your spouse jealous? - No, there are no problems with this - she understands perfectly well that I am a coach. This is work, and it needs to be treated with understanding. Maybe there were some conversations at one time, but there were no problems. And then, do I have any deviations?
— They say that your team had to train almost at the training ground with soldiers. Is it true? — I can’t say for sure about the training ground - maybe I just don’t remember. But they actually trained with the soldiers. They even played.
—Women against men? - Yes, this is good practice for them. Of course, there is a difference between women's and men's football, but it is still one sport.
