Utah Jazz: Kobe may be bowing out, but it's Andrei Kirilenko's night

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Quincy Lewis quickly knew the tall skinny kid from across water had the chance to be a good player at the NBA level. Eventually, the two would become fast friends. Heck, Lewis even gave him his famous nickname — AK-47.

As the Jazz prepare to honor Kirilenko and his franchise legacy during Monday home game against the Los Angeles Lakers —a game that is also expected to mark Kobe Bryant's last appearance as player in Salt Lake City — Lewis couldn't help but reminisce on their early days.

The two were drafted together by the Jazz in 1999. They played in summer league together. They gravitated toward each other. And it wasn't hard to for Lewis see that Kirilenko had the talent to become a good player.

"He was so long and athletic," said Lewis, now a television analyst covering the Minnesota Timberwolves. "People wonder how he blocked so many shots, but when you stand next to him, you can see why, because his arms are so long. He was a great guy. When he first came here, he didn't speak much English and he was shy and timid. But once he got his wife to move here, he got comfortable in Utah."

Kirilenko got more than comfortable. He went on to became a good, bordering on great, player, for the next few years. New-age NBA fans love Draymond Green, the do-it-all power forward for the Golden State Warriors. Name an NBA skill, and Green checks most the boxes, from being a shooter, to passing the ball, to defending, to hustling around the floor.

At his career peak, Kirlenko was Draymond Green before there was Draymond Green. He was a force at both ends of the floor, capable of impacting the game in many areas. He could fill up a box score line with his varied skills, but he was at his best at the defensive end of the floor. At his best, Kirilenko was one of the best defenders in the NBA, a guy no one enjoyed playing against.

For the Jazz, Kirilenko was a third cog at the tail end of the Stockton-Malone years, then a centerpiece after the Utah legends retired. For Kirilenko, those were the best of times.

"I definitely met my own expectations," Kirilenko said. "As a skinny [kid] coming from Russia, didn't know the language, had never been out of the country. ... I wouldn't say I was a superstar, but I was a good player in this league."

As good as he was, however, there was always the sense that Kirilenko could have taken his game to an even higher level. That said, his list of accomplishments remains impressive. He was named to the NBA's all-rookie team, then made the 2004 Western Conference all-star team. He was an all-league defender three times, a fixture on the Russian national team and he was generally recognized as Utah's best player from about 2004 until Deron Williams came into his own around 2006.

Still, Kirilenko was forced to wade through all sorts of injuries, which cut into his effectiveness as a player, especially during his later years. Indeed, he played the full 82 game schedule just once.

"If I could change one thing in my career, if I could cut my injuries in half, I would take it any day."

That, the max contract Kirilenko signed in his prime and his sometimes prickly relationship with legendary Jazz coach Jerry Sloan led to an uneven courtship with Utah fans, along with an inevitable ending with the team following the 2010-2011 season.

Kirilenko's best year was the 2003-2004 season, when he averaged 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.8 blocked shots and 1.9 steals per game. He played in 78 out of the 82 games and he led the Jazz to a 42-40 record, in the first year for the franchise after Stockton and Malone.

Today, they are some of Kirilenko's favorite NBA memories.

"I actually miss him [Sloan] and Phil [Johnson]," Kirilenko said. "We had our ups and downs, but those two guys were major benefactors in my career. Without them, I'd never get a chance to play at such a high level."

Kirilenko's legacy in Utah can certainly be up for debate. There will be those who say he didn't reach his ceiling as a player. And he obviously never had a year as good as his all-star season. At the same time, those who watched Kirilenko in his prime know how good he was when he was at his peak. There were few players in basketball more versatile. And there can be no question he had a big impact on the Jazz during his decade in the uniform.

tjones@sltrib.com twitter: @tjonessltrib

Tribune columnist Kurt Kragthorpe contributed to this report —

About Andrei Kirilenko

• Was drafted by the Jazz in 1999 and played for the franchise from 2001-2011. All told, he played for four NBA teams, and retired after the 2014-2015 season

• Was an all-star in 2004. Was also selected to the NBA's all-defensive team, and was on the all-rookie team during his career

• Kirilenko played with one current member of the Jazz — small forward Gordon Hayward. The two were teammates for one season, when Hayward was a rookie. —

Lakers at Jazz

P At Vivint Smart Home Arena

Tipoff • Monday, 7 p.m.

TV • ROOT Sports

Radio • 1280 AM

Records • L.A. Lakers 15-57; Utah 36-37

Last Meeting • Utah 109-82 (Jan. 16th)

About the Lakers • Monday will be the last trip to Salt Lake City for Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. … Lakers forward Julius Randle scored the first triple-double of his career in Friday's loss to the Denver Nuggets. … Lakers rookie guard D'Angelo Russell is doubtful for Sunday night's game against the Washington Wizards with an ankle injury. … The Lakers have the second worst record in the NBA. If they aren't picking in the top three, their selection will go to the Philadelphia 76ers

About the Jazz • Utah has won seven of its last 10 games, hitting its stride at the right time. … The Jazz are coming off a five-game road trip in which they went 3-2, including Saturday's win at Minnesota … The Jazz are 2-0 against the Lakers this season. …Utah will travel to Los Angeles for the final game of Kobe Bryant's career (April 13). It also will mark the Jazz's regular season finale.

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Kobe expected to play vs. Jazz

Retiring Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is expected to play against the Jazz on Monday, in what will be his last appearance in Salt Lake City as a player.

But for how long?

The Lakers played a home game Sunday night against the Washington Wizards. In the second night of a back-to-back, he may see only limited duty against the Jazz.

Bryant averages a team-leading 17.1 points per game. During his last appearance at Vivint Smart Home Arena, Bryant spoke wistfully about how tough Jazz fans have been on him over the years, dating all the way back to his rookie season when he was just out of high school.

Bryant should expect a mixed — and racous — welcome on Monday. Laker fans always show up in large numbers when their team plays in Utah, and L.A. crowd may be even larger than usual because it is Kobe's final game here.

— Tony Jones —

Kobe expected to play vs. Jazz

Retiring Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is expected to play against the Jazz on Monday, in what will be his last appearance in Salt Lake City as a player.

But for how long?

The Lakers played a home game Sunday night against the Washington Wizards, a contest in which Bryant was also expected to log minutes. In the second night of a back-to-back, he may see only limited duty against the Jazz.

— Tony Jones