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Translation by Serge 06-18-2007, 12:19 AM
- After Utah lost the game 5 vs
San Antonio, I didn't ask you for pupose about your conclusions of the season to
avoid too emotional answer. But now when emotions calmed down is another
thing...
- First of all, I don't want to blame anybody. Yes, the season for me personally
didn't fold, but the one was succesfull for the team. And it's not coach's fault
that something was not going for Kirilenko. Jerry Sloan was doing his job and he
has done it: Utah got entered in the best 4 NBA teams list, and I am, btw, very
gald about it. Perhaps, if the coach could help me to find my game, we would
have more chances to win San Antonio. But still the club finally have reached
the high result, which was the goal for several years. And how did we reach it -
it's a secondary question. Were we lucky or not - doesn't matter. Anyway the
team have started to play better, finally get matured. As for me.... Probably it
was my mistake that I accepted my new status at the very beginning of the
season. That I didn't come to the coach then "to dot one's i's". I had to talk
more to Sloan, to discuss, to watch video tapes. That's my fault. Our coach
likes when players come to him. Even if it is not according to my habbits. But
from the other side - Sloan could help me himself. But why? Utah played well. To
summarize it, nobody is guilty in the situation. I just don't let that situation
to be repeated next season.
- Is Sloan reall always open for players?
- His credo: if somebody don't understand anything, then let him come. I was
coming by the way. But if anything got changed after our talks, it was only for
a couple of games. But you can't ask coach for a talk every week! I tried
different behavior during the season. For example, one month I was coming to
practices 1 hour before. Next month tried to concentrate on the game deeper,
then something else. So I was trying to help myself. Yet nothing was changing.
And when your efforts don't bring "fruits" you start to think of it, to dig into
yourself. When I watched videos I noticed that the team game is starting to
change. No, not that dramatically, but the accents were slightly moving toward
other players. And since it was benefitting to the team I was all for it. But
finally I was totally excluded from the team offense. And any sportsman have to
try toward the situation when coach "bets on him" too.
- When did you get the first feeling that your role on the court got changed?
- In the first game of the season. And even earlier - at the end of season
2005/2006. But that season was short and I did really have time to think of it.
And even at the beginning of the last season I didn't pay too much attention
since the team was winning. Only when we started to give up games I began to dig
into myself: what's wrong?! And could find an answer. For example I was never
strong with midrange shot. Then why to force me to attack from 4-5 meters? How I
was getting the points before? From penetration, from center position and FT
line. Now it all gone.
The statistics say the my role in offence went down two times at least. Scoring
% were still almost the same. About 30% - 3 pointers, FTs - 75-80%, FG - 45-50%.
Blocks dropped a little, but so was the playing time. So mostly I went down in
two categories: FGA and FT. However, I need to stop complaining. Enough. And
above all, it's wrong to complain.
- How many times did you talk to Sloan during the season?
- Two. One talk was pretty serious. It was at the end of December. I said I was
feeling uncomfortable. Basically, was not obliged to react on that. But if you
want to help a player - stick to him one of your assistants, which you have six.
In order to work on the shot from a certain point two hours per day. But when
nobody wants to help and only say that Kirilenko can't score.. That's
ridiculous. Understand, I have perfect relationships with everybody in the club.
Top management included. I love "Utah Jazz" and SLC, where two my sons got
birth. But there is no place for me in the Utah's game scheme. On the court I am
just working out my contract, but no way playing basketball. And when the things
you used to get pleasure of are starting to be percepted as the job only, then
you loose skills, you loose smart thinking. I don't want to play basketball only
for money.
- Is it true that nobody in Utah thought on the question: Why Kirilenko worked
on his shot two months last summer? Especially by club's order.
- Nobody. I also don't understand it. I'd better took more rest and then played
for NT. But to be honest, I added a little in the midrange, but... It was needed
for nobody as a fact. I still will continue to work on the shot, but I won't put
accent on it no more. My main mistake last year: I was training and working for
the club. Now I will make it for myself.
- The conflict Sloan-Kirilenko is made by journalists?
- Totally. There is no conflict. You need to divide life from basketball
precisely. After the game anybody on the team can make jokes on other person, we
have no scandals. In America the distance between coach and players are much
less. And some things that produced by media are sometimes funny to read. There
is just a little misunderstanding between me and Sloan. He doesn't understand
how to help me, I don't understand what to do.
- And how do fans treating Sloan?
- It varies. Some love him , some hate him. For some fans he is Zeus and legend.
Others think that Sloan "kills" basketball and had to retire long time ago. But
the same polar opinions you can hear about anybody on the team. About me, Boozer
or Williams. Also about anything in life. For example, some may think "SE" is
perfect newspaper, others would say it covers too much soccer. But there are
third ones. They think "Sport-Express" is perfect paper that covers soccer a
lot. (laughing)
- How would you characterize Sloan?
- Why? Whoever he is - he is my coach.
- Sloan is able to be pretty unpredictable. I heard he prohibited you to read
books before the game. Said it stops you from tuning in the game.
- Absolutely true. Sloan against books. And he really commanded me to stop
reading at certain time. Yet I never had problems with discipline. I can
separate work and rest, so it really hard "to get me" in that area. As a result
it was funny. For 5 years books didn't hinder me from playing basketball, but
the 6th year they suddently have started to do it.
- Also at certain moment Sloan was unhappy for your effort during the
practices...
- Rubbish. It happens only when the coach has nothing to say. Do you know our
center Araujo? He was coming 2 hours before and leaving 2 hours after every
practice and how much time did he got on court? That's it. And even he was
always mentioned to us as example. But that's life: some are playing 30-40
minutes per game and others get on court from time to time. I guess if I would
play that little as brazilian, then I would come to practice even ahead of him.
And when you playing every other day, put all your energy there, then to give
100% during the practices is physically impossible.
What Sloan wanted then? He wanted me to work by myself and to prove my attempts
to the public around. But I don't like window dressing. You need to work not for
somebody, but for yourself. Although, I want to repeat, I did try to come to
practices earlier. Did it for the whole month. It didn't help. Conclusions? The
problem is not with me. I am not even saying that I have weighting room at my
house that I was using quite often.
- How often?
- Regularly that month.
- Could it be that your game was affected by your injuries?
- I don't think that I had many injuries - I missed only 10-12 games. 6 at the
start of the season with twisted ankle. And broken thumb and the end of season.
That's all, there were no more significant injuries.
- There were rumors in January that you could be traded. Was it really so?
- I don't know. I don't negotiate - it is business of GM and the owner. Plus, of
course, head coach. Those 3 make the decision on any player. If the trade didn't
went through, then I may never know about it. Although by the end of the season
O'Connor came to me and said not to pay attention to rumors and nobody plans to
trade me. from the other side, when the player is not showing his best, there is
always chances he will get traded, and I am ready to that scenario. It would
pity, but... If the club will make the decision, I can't do anything. I can't go
on strike...- Did you have any thoughts about changing the team?
- I did. about hundred times. But understand, I am already 6 years in Utah, one
coach, the life is set. And how it will be in the new place - I don't know. So,
it were all emotions. It was very hard to analyze anything during the season.
Only know I can can really think things through.
- Can you demand a trade yourself?
- Even if I do it, nobody is going to follow my desire. According to the
contract Kirilenko belongs to Utah 4 more years. And the last word reserved for
team management. Not even the coach, but team owner.
- I remember it was a situation at the end of regular season that was ready to
blow-up. Utah was fighting with San Antonio for the third seed on the West and
suddently started to lose games and finished 5th. You got injured that time and
said there was going happen something important regarding you and Utah. But
nothing important did happen...
- That time emotions have reached the limit. It was very hard for me. I could
not calm down. Then stopped to pay attention on what peoiple say about me, how
much time I get on court. Worked just like machine. And it became easier.
- And soon after that you played your best basketball of the season - at the end
of Houston series and GS series.
- No, it wasn't really so with Houston. But in quarter-finals you really saw
different Kirilenko. Golden State style is very specific. They play fast with
almost no plays. Due to that we often had to attack "as it goes". Our pg,
Williams was getting quick fouls, and Brown was injured. That's why I was more
often with the ball and my statistics rapidly improved. But I did not change
anything significant in my game.
- During playoffs other Jazz europeans Okur and Giricek were less noticeable.
Did you discuss it with them?
- Yes. But I want to say that there was never any "european clan" in Utah. My
opinion: when the team have such snipers like Giricek, they must be used, to set
them for a shot. For example Boozer doesn't need to work to get the ball. He
will get it anyway. And Okur to get open had to run circles on the floor. Then I
ask, how good he will attack after it?
- Do you treat the last season as the part of your career or you just want to
forget about it?
- Any expirience is important - positive or negative. You learn how to behavior
in new circumstances, how to react on the things that is going on. So, let's
take this season with us.
Thanks to Serge for his translation.
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