By Aris Barkas
A new site about European basketball could not launch without a mention to Euroleague’s biggest star this season, the only NBA player of all stall caliber still playing after the end of the lock out in this part of the world. We have met and talk with Andrei Kirilenko after the game of CSKA against Olympiacos in the corridors of Peace and Friendship Stadium. After an important road victory for his team the man known also as AK-47 was ready to answer anything and ready to accept that this summer he will probably return to the NBA. Let’s see if in his luggage will also be a Euroleague trophy.
– Ηow is your tour of duty in Europe, specially compared to your experience in the NBA?
“The level of basketball has grown and everybody is playing in a good level. A lot of guys with NBA experience are playing back in Europe. Like tonight, Spanoulis had a great experience in the NBA and came back, now he plays with Olympiacos and he is one of the fans favorites. I am pretty happy that CSKA won”.
– Do you regret that you went too early in the NBA and missed some of this experience, or do you believe that now is your time to get your revenge?
“It is what it is! I am pretty happy that I left early and I had the chance to enjoy all this experience in the NBA. To be young, then getting older and becoming a veteran with ten years of experience it’s been a great, great journey”.
– All this time in the States you were passionate about the European game. I know that you followed closely your beloved CSKA and you know everything about it’s last crowns, Papaloukas, etc. Do you think that Istanbul will be an other big stop for your team?
“I hope so. You know that we have a great connection with Olympiacos, with players wearing the jersey of both teams. Aleksey Zevrosenko came from Olympiacos to CSKA, Dusan Ivkovic was the coach of the team and this exchange is continuing back and forth, now with Milos Teodosic. So I believe that those two teams have a good, friendly relationship”.
– And I am not hunting for an exclusive but… do you see yourself staying for long time in Europe?
“I think next year I will be back in the NBA”.
– Those are bad news for European basketball, but good news for the NBA…
“Maybe it’s bad news, but I feel that I still have a couple more years of great, great basketball in me, and the NBA is still the best this moment. Maybe in twenty, of thirty years it will be different”.