SYDNEY— Thanks to broadcast coverage of the Sydney Summer Games, basketball fans in Utah are getting their first full look at Andrei Kirilenko, afirst-round draft pick of the Utah Jazz two summers ago.
And just as Jazz fans are keeping an eye on Kirilenko, the 6-foot-9
19-year-old is keeping watch on Utah's NBA team — thanks to videotaped games that the franchise has been sending him in Russia.
"I have many tapes because Utah gives me them — against Dallas, Chicago — and I watch many games," said Kirilenko in broken English following Russia's 77-59 victory over Canada in a Saturday afternoon preliminary-pool game.
"I know the style Utah plays against other teams."
Overanxious Utah fans may be wondering when they might see the Russian front-liner in a Jazz uniform.
"I think after one year," said Kirilenko, who has contractual obligations in Moscow. "I have one year more with my team, CSKA in Russia, then I go to Utah."
Kirilenko is making his international debut with the Russian national team, and he admits to feeling nervous. But he's shooting 56 percent from the floor and 81 percent from the line, and he's the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder with per-game averages of 9.8 points and 4.5 boards.
The slender Russian with the closely cropped blond flattop knows there's a chance his team could meet the superstar-laden U.S. squad, replete with its NBA talent. Right now, the two teams are in opposite six-team pools of the 12-team tournament — the gold-favorite Americans are undefeated and a lock for the upcoming medal round, while Russia is jostling to qualify with its 2-2 record after beating Canada.
"I think the next game, to qualify, we'll have more power," said Kirilenko of Russia's preliminary-pool finale against winless Angola.
And then, a possible contest against the Americans? "Maybe in the qualified tournament — maybe," Kirilenko said. "We must try to play very good then."
He's posted several good outings so far: 10 points and five rebounds in his Olympic opener, a 66-60 loss to Yugoslavia; game highs of 16 points and nine rebounds in a 71-63 victory over Spain; and 11 points and four rebounds as a reserve in Saturday's triumph over Canada.
His worst effort came two days earlier in Russia's 75-71 last-minute loss to host Australia, where Kirilenko mustered two points, an assist and a steal.
However, he still ranks among the Olympic tournament leaders in steals and blocked shots — seven each in four games.
Besides the United States, several other Olympic teams feature a smattering of NBA talent, such as Steve Nash and Todd MacCullough with Canada and Luc Longley and Andrew Gaze with Australia. So Kirilenko is getting a small taste of what the NBA may be like, and he thinks he has some traits that he could contribute to the Jazz.
"I like steals, I like good play," he said. "Maybe I do not have the power, but I try, and I can play defense as a small forward."
Try and defense — a couple of words that Jazz fans and Utah coach Jerry Sloan love to hear.
E-mail: taylor@desnews.com