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Veteran Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko has signed a season-long deal with CSKA Moscow.
The club announced the signing this morning once Kirilenko’s waivers from the Philadelphia 76ers were cleared late on Monday.
TalkBasket learned before the announcement that the former Russian international and NBA All-Star wanted to finish his playing career with the Muscovites. In the statement that was released by the club this morning, the 34-year-old said that, “the time has come to think about ending my career at the professional level”
Kirilenko has returned to Russia once before, spending the 2011-12 season with CSKA after leaving the Utah Jazz during the NBA lockout, during that period, he led CSKA to its only Euroleague final appearance in the last five seasons and won both the Russian League and VTB League titles.
He was voted the 2011-12 Euroleague MVP and scooped the Best Defender Trophy after averaging 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.9 blocks in his 17 Euroleague games, despite missing two months with a shoulder injury.
He then returned to the NBA the next season with Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kirilenko played seven games this season for the Nets, averaging 5.1 minutes and 0.4 points.
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Read More: CSKA Moscow’s acquisition of Andrei Kirilenko will now strengthen their position as favourites for this season’s Euroleague.But it isn’t a formality. There is still a lot of basketball to be played, writes John Hobbs. Story here.
