Andrei Kirilenko

Andrei Kirilenko is the most well-known basketball player to hail from Russia and was the first Russian ever drafted in the first round. His thirteen year NBA career was spent with the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers. Kirilenko was an All-Star in 2004 and was named to the NBA”s All-Defense team in 2006. He led Russia to a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics. In his ten seasons in Utah, he became synonymous with Jazz basketball. Selected to the NBA’s All-Rookie team in his first year, Kirilenko would go to the playoffs with the Jazz six times. Following his time in Utah, he returned to Russia to play for CSKA Moscow and won the Euroleague MVP in his one season there. Kirilenko was originally drafted by the Jazz in 1999 while he was playing for CSKA Moscow. He became an American citizen in 2011.