Basketball player Andrei Kirilenko: biography, personal life and interesting facts

Andrei Kirilenko, a basketball player whose biography is inextricably linked with sports, has been one of the most successful representatives of the Russian school for many years. In his arsenal of a huge number of awards - cups and medals. Moreover, it is he who, from 2015, heads the basketball federation (RFB). That is why many readers will be interested to know the biography and interesting facts from the life of this young though well-known person.

Childhood

The future famous basketball player Andrei Kirilenko was born on the eighteenth of February 1981 in the city of Izhevsk. His father, in the past also a well-known sportsman, at the time of the birth of his first-born was already a coach of one of the Leningrad football teams. Basketball is also engaged in Andrei's mother. For her professional career, she performed in well-known clubs: "Sickle and Hammer", "Spartacus", "Burevestnik", "Skorokhod."

And although the family of the future sportsman was always in Leningrad, in the last months of pregnancy, Andrei's mother went to her relatives in Izhevsk. It was here that her son was born.

Only at the age of four months the child was transported back to his native city on the Neva, where the famous basketball player spent his childhood and youth. Andrei Kirilenko at an early age was carried away by football, then swimming and handball. However, he soon decided that his life would only connect with basketball.

For the first time in this sport, the boy started at the children's school Frunze district of his native Leningrad, the present St. Petersburg. After some time, the guy was identified in the national team of his native city. It was played in its composition, basketball player Andrei Kirilenko achieved his first triumph, having won the Cup of Russia in one of the youngest age categories.

Professional career

According to his mentors, the boy's talent was noticeable from early childhood. Apparently, therefore, he was soon accepted into the first professional club in his career. They became "Spartacus." Debuting in January 1997, basketball player Andrei Kirilenko was named the youngest player in the history of the national championship. At that time, the boy was only sixteen years old.

And although in the first season the athlete held only three games on the floor, but the following year he achieved that he was made the main player of the team. His excellent game Andrei Kirilenko was able to draw the attention of coaches of CSKA Moscow, who in the summer of 1998 lured a promising young player to him.

Recognized leader of the "army"

The fact that their choice was made correctly, the young basketball player proved already in the first season. He began to recruit for the game an average of twelve and a half points, and later along with the "army team" won the Russian championship. CSKA's team in the Euroleague reached the quarter-finals, and this was a very good experience for a novice player. The 1999/2000 season proved to be a very good start for Andrei Kirilenko. He, after gaining for a game of thirteen or more points, soon found himself the recognized leader of the "army".

In the same year the team again became the champion of Russia, and the sportsman himself was awarded the title of the best player of the championship. It was then clear that the athlete in the Russian championship for a long time will not be delayed.

Season 2000/2001 was the most difficult for CSKA in recent years. The team, left without medals, lost its past fervor. Her only bright spot, especially amidst a general gloom, was still the brilliant play of the young striker.

Transfer to the NBA

As a result, in late 2001, the leader of the "army", leaving his former team, moved to the overseas command "Utah Jazz". As part of the new club, Russian basketball player Andrei Kirilenko played ten full seasons. During this period, he was able to become one of the most visible players of the starting five and, as a result, turned into one of the highest paid offenders.

It was in the team from Utah that Kirilenko managed to achieve his most significant victories. However, he could not become the champion of the NBA. Despite this, the Russian wagon appeared several times in the symbolic team of the overseas tournament, and once even played in the match all the stars of this basketball league.

A succession of successes

In 2007-2012, according to the version of the European International Basketball Federation, Andrei Kirilenko was recognized as the best attacker of the Old World. His personal successes were supplemented by successes as a player of the national team. Playing for the Russian national team, this talented striker won the gold of the European championship in Spain (2007), became the bronze medalist of the same championship in Lithuania (2011). In addition, Andrei Kirilenko in 2012, together with the Russian team reached the third place in the Olympic basketball tournament.

As a consequence of the NBA's lockout in 2011, the player had to spend the 2011/2012 season in Russia. Here, as part of his home club, CSKA Kirilenko became the champion of the VTB United League, but subsequently moved again across the ocean. The next stage in the career of this star striker was "Minnesota Timberwolves", followed by the club "Brooklyn Nets", where the illustrious player performed until 2014. Completion of his career took place in 2015 (CSKA).

Personal life

In 2001, at the age of twenty, Andrew married with Maria Lopatova, the daughter of a fairly well-known basketball player. She is older than her husband for eight years. However, the age difference does not affect his family happiness, as Andrey Kirilenko himself says. A basketball player with his wife brings up four children: three sons-Fedor, Stepan and Andrew, as well as his daughter, Alexander, whom they adopted in 2009.

During the NBA seasonal games, spouses with children lived in their home in Salt Lake City, and at other times in Moscow or France.

Interesting Facts

Despite the fact that a star athlete is always very busy, he surprisingly manages everything. On the basketball player Andrei Kirilenko all those who know him speak warmly. He created a charity fund, working both in the US and Russia. The purpose of this organization is to help children with disabilities. The Kirilenko Foundation also helps hospitals and sports schools, veterans. Help from him receive orphanages and nursing homes.

Basketball player Andrei Kirilenko, whose growth is two hundred and six centimeters, in 2002, starred in the video of his wife.

Despite the rumors, he is not a relative of the famous tennis player: she is just his namesake. Although in one of the interviews Maria Kirilenko said that she is familiar with Andrei, and they have an arrangement for a joke to call each other a brother and sister, true, cousins.

In 2012, the basketball player was a confidant of Mikhail Prokhorov.