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One-on-One with Andrei Kirilenko
By Travis Heath
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jan 19, 2007, 19:17
Everyone has been talking about Andrei Kirilenko lately. Many in the media
-- including your friendly neighborhood columnist -- have wondered aloud
about Kirilenko's offensive struggles and even whether or not the Jazz would
consider trading him. Get AK-47's take on Utah's team chemistry, whether or
not he is happy with his limited role offensively, his unique pre-game
ritual, and much more in this Basketball News Services exclusive interview!
You guys started the season really well. Talk a little bit about how good
you have been and how good you think you can be moving forward?
I think we had a great start, 12-1 was the best start in franchise history.
I think we did a really great job, but right now teams are preparing every
game to play us much harder then they did at the beginning of the year. But
I think Memo and Carlos have done a great job to lead this team and they have
really dominated.
You just mentioned Carlos. Tell me some about what you've seen from him this
year and how good he's been able to help you guys become?
I think he's become a more experienced player, and he's dominating inside.
I think this is one of the keys to success for our team, because he's been
able to put so much pressure under the basket with his rebounding and even
with his mid-range game. He's really put huge pressure on the defense so they
need to double and triple team him so it leaves everybody else open. Everyone
else gets open shots, like Memo, Derek Fisher and Deron Williams. It's great
when you can have a guy who's really that good.
Talk some about the team chemistry. It seems like all of the Jazz players
get along well.
I mean, in the locker room outside of basketball has never been a problem.
We've always had great chemistry inside, everyone's always stayed together.
On the floor, sometimes we have problems -- not like chemistry -- but it's
more the basketball part. It's more of like some misunderstandings or
miscommunication. But the thing I like is even if we're wrong we try to
hustle and try to cover each other's back. I think that's very important for
the team. You know, we're not perfect. We are going to make mistakes.
We are going to lose some games, but more important is we are going to fight
and fight every game. Like a few games ago we were down like 20 points right
from the start of the game, but we didn't give up and we kept playing.
We didn't win the game, but we got to a point in the game where we got close.
We haven't been very consistent, but I like the idea that everybody keeps
fighting and keeps their heads up.
How much better is Deron Williams this season as compared to last season?
It seems like he's made an amazing jump as only a second-year player.
Of course, he's a different player right now. Everything is confidence.
When you believe in the coach and the team believes in the player and let him
play, I think most of the players will play -- I would say like 85-90% of
players. Like take any players right now in the league, put him in the
starting-five and give him like 40 minutes, he will improve -- definitely.
Deron, those kind of guys can improve dramatically. He can play. Everybody
knows he was one of the best players in the nation in college basketball.
Right now he's in the NBA and he's got confidence. It's not surprising he's
leading right now.
Talk some about your game. I know some people have been critical -- myself
included -- about your offense. We question your jumpshot and your offensive
contributions and things like that. Do you feel a need to get better
offensively or are you kind of tired of hearing that from people?
It's so funny because I would say I've never been a jumpshooter. I've never
been a shooter. I don't want to prove to anybody that I'm a jumpshooter
because I am not. If I have an open shot I will take it, though, because you
should be dangerous. You should make an open jumpshot for sure. It's not
the best part of my game, but it's not the worst part, either. There's lots
of attention around it. I think this year we have lots and lots of offensive
force, and it's a huge difference from the last five years because we didn't
really have it. I'm not surprised my scoring went down. It's like my first
year when Karl (Malone) and John (Stockton) was here the main scoring ability
was on them. I was kind of worried about it at the beginning of the year,
but then I was analyzing everything and there was no point to worrying because
we were winning the games and I'm trying to contribute as much as I can.
Sometimes I get a little bit frustrated because of the understanding that I
get three shots a game (laughs), but we won the game so I think it's a little
more valuable. I think if I played wrong coach would come to me and say,
'Andrei we need you offensively more or we need you involved more,' but this
has not happened. So I think coach is happy with my role right now. So I'm
just trying to play aggressively defensively, help guys execute and try and
win the game.
What's interesting, though, is you seem to be okay with that role. You like
playing defense and rebounding and doing those things. A lot of guys who
have a fair amount of stature in the game like you do would want to score
more points. How do you accept that role?
It's a tough role because I've always loved to play full basketball --
offense, defense and everywhere. Right now I'm a little bit worried more
about defense than offense, but you know, the older you get you don't really
think about it. You try and step on the floor and don't think about your
shot but you think about the game totally, see the total picture of the game.
Like for example, if Carlos starts scoring, why should I take the ball and
start creating something if he's good already? I should play with him and
help him. I think that you should be smart and try and be in the game.
Talk some about your primary competition in the Northwest Division, the
Denver Nuggets. They've recently traded for Allen Iverson and will get
Carmelo Anthony back soon. What do you think of your chances against them
coming down the stretch?
They've always been tough. They've always been a tough match-up over the
years, and it's like a little rivalry in the Rocky Mountain division (laughs).
That's what they call it, right! We will fight on the floor, but we will
always be nice to each other outside because we understand that we are players.
Nobody wants to hurt anybody, but we will fight as hard as we can.
Last one, man. Every time I see you before games you are always reading.
Like most guys today in the NBA are listening to IPOD's and stuff like that,
but you're always reading a book. Talk some about your ritual and how it
gets you ready to play?
It just helps me to relax and not think about the game a lot. It helps take
my mind out, and I think relaxes me. You know, I'm not nervous, not worried.
I'm kind of getting in mental condition (smiles).
Alright, appreciate it Andrei.
Thank you very much.
Say what you want about Kirilenko's offense -- and if you read what's written
in this space often you know this writer certainly has -- but he is truly one
of the NBA's most unique players. It's clear he really cares about his team
winning, but he would also like to be a little more involved offensively as
he hinted at sarcastically with his comment about only getting three shots a
game. Thus far, the Jazz have put themselves in a pretty good position
record-wise. That said, for them to really take the next step, they need
AK-47 to be fully loaded.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_20465.shtml
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