Andrei Kirilenko is making a push to be the best all-around player at the Eurobasket tournament, and had another strong showing Sunday with 25 points and four steals against Bulgaria. The timing for his strong play couldn't be better, as he seeks interest in his services both in the NBA and around the world. He's old (31), injury prone, and sometimes a headcase, but we wouldn't rule out his chances of exceeding the old mid-level exception amount of about $6 million in a new NBA deal.

Andrei Kirilenko looked like his old self if Russia's 73-64 win over the Mike Fratello-coached Ukraine team in Wednesday's Eurobasket opener, scoring 20 points with 11 rebounds and four steals. We're not so much interested in the stats as we are in the report that he looked good. Entering his age-31 season, the oft-injured AK-47 will be a wild card in fantasy leagues until we know where he will be signing as a free agent.

Andrei Kirilenko said recently that if he were to play in Russia, he would only be interested in playing for CSKA Moscow or his home team, Spartak St. Petersburg. Kirilenko said that playing for the Jazz remains his 'priority', but he will consider all options both overseas and within the NBA. He also made the controversial assertion that American basketball is superior to Russian basketball because, "It's also the nature that favors black players, making them physically stronger than we are - that is a scientifically proven fact."

Andrei Kirilenko will soon begin practicing with Russia for this summer's EuroBasket tournament in Lithuania. Kirilenko is a free agent and has made some very plausible comments about wanting to play overseas, specifically for Real Madrid in Spain's ACB. More reports should surface once the FIBA tournament begins, so check periodically for updates on AK-47's future.

Andrei Kirilenko reportedly offered his services to become a starting forward for Real Madrid. Kirilenko asked for a contract worth 4 million Euros, which is about $5.8 million. It's highly unlikely that the team will pay that much to acquire Kirilenko, but the likelihood of the veteran landing in Europe seems to be increasing by the day.

Andrei Kirilenko wants to play in the Asociaci¢n de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB). When asked if the NBA was a priority, Kirilenko responded, "I'm in a better situation that the players who have valid contracts with NBA teams. If the lockout ends they will have to return to their teams. As a free agent I can play the entire next season in Europe, or even more than one season.". Follow the link to read the entire interview, but it sounds as if AK-47 is giving serious thought to signing with an international club for the foreseeable future.

Andrei Kirilenko said that he could play overseas in the event of a full-season lockout, but his "priority remains the NBA." "I think I can play at high levels for 3-4 years more," said Kirilenko, who has occasionally floated the idea of playing in Russia.