Utah Jazz: The 50 greatest players in franchise history

All-time greatest Utah Jazz players: No. 11 Andrei Kirilenko

• Seasons with the franchise: 10 (2001-02 to 2010-11)
• Regular-season games played: 681
• Averages as a Jazzman: 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 2.0 blocks
• Shooting percentages: 47.0 from the field, 31.2 from three, 76.3 from the foul line
• Playoff games with Utah: 45
• Postseason averages: 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.9 blocks

AK-47.

Although the Utah Jazz didn’t immediately benefit from their No. 24 overall selection from the 1999 NBA Draft, Andrei Kirilenko did live up to expectations — and then some — beginning with the 2001-02 season. The intelligent Russian averaged double-digit points in all but one of his 10 campaigns with Jazz, also never averaging fewer than one block or one steal per game.

An All-Rookie First Team talent in 2001-02. A 2004 NBA All-Star.

Kirilenko was also a three-time recipient of All-Defensive Team honors (Second Team in both 2003-04 and 2004-05 then First Team in 2005-06). In all three of those years — reaching peak stats on both ends of the floor — the frequent swatter finished among the top three in the league in blocks per game, remarkably doing so as a mere 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward.

However, the Jazz never reached the playoffs during his most lethal three-year span.