Andrey Kirilenko: I wanted to play in the Euroleague

Russian forward Andrey Kirilenko admitted that the main reason for his move to CSKA Moscow was the club’s participation in the Euroleague. Kirilenko was had been in talks with his first club, Spartak St. Petersburg, but eventually preferred CSKA, for whom he spent his most successful years in Russia.

«Naturally, CSKA is a flagship of European basketball, and I want to play at this level. The Euroleague is the second strongest tournament after the NBA, I would like to take part in it and I will.

«I’d like to thank Spartak St. Petersburg, they have done everything possible in this situation. I can’t compare my attitude to CSKA and Spartak. These are the two clubs, where I was grew up and established myself as a player. I feel happy and sad at the same time, as I had to refuse one of them. Participation in the Europe’s strongest tournament is a trump card, no doubt,» Kirilenko said as quoted by RIA Novosti.