Kirilenko bulks up
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Everything I've been reading in the off-season about AK-47 says he's bulked up, worked on his shot and is ready for a breakout year. NBA.com lists Kirilenko as being 6-9, 227 pounds and I can't imagine he's added more than maybe 5-10 pounds of muscle. In addition, Kirilenko has worked on improving his off-season diet and nutrition.
All of this is really great to hear, but my concern is that a heavier Kirilenko may not be a better Kirilenko. AK-47 is one of the fastest baseline-to-baseline players in the NBA. How many times have we seen him miss a shot on offense, the other team gets a fast break, and AK-47 somehow gets back quick enough to block the other team's shot? It's something Kirilenko pulls off at least one or two times a week during the season.
Kirilenko is at his best when he's able to use his wiry wingspan and athleticism on defense and pulls off one of those herky-jerky shots on offense around the basket. My concern is that AK-47's extra weight might not make him as athletic as he was the last few seasons. But hey, if all this work helps him make the All-Star team again and shut down Crymelo Anthony a few times a year, I'm all for it.
