Andrei Kirilenko will be making a return to the NBA after the London Games have concluded where he is going to be joining the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kirilenko made the jump back to the Association after spending the lockout shortened 2011-2012 NBA season playing for CSKA Moscow in the Euroleague. It would seem that a year of home cooking did AK47 well as he earned Euroleague MVP honors. In addition he led the league in points per game (24.1), rebounds per game (7.2), blocks per game (1.87) and also took home top honours as the Euroleague best defender.  

Kirilenko has continued his stellar international play by leading the Russian squad to top spot in Group B standings. The Russian are through the preliminary rounds and squared off against a Lithuanian team that many thought would be playing for the bronze medal. The Russians rebounded from a 2 point loss to the Australian team and beat the Lithuanians to secure their spot in the round of four. Next up for Kirilenko and the Russians is a tough Spanish team that lost once already to the Russians in the preliminary rounds. Kirilenko will be looking to improve on that last contest as he struggled from the field shooting 25% and only scoring 8 points in 36 minutes of court time. Should Andrei come close to his Olympic averages of 18.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg the Russians can book themselves into the gold medal game.

AK47, as he is known to NBA fans, is joining an upstart Timberwolves team that looks to make a move in the Northwest division. Joining Kirilenko in Minnesota this year will be his Olympic backcourt mate, Alexey Shved, who figures to get some court time as Ricky Rubio is still on the mend. Kirilenko is healthy again and has regained his confidence and swagger from his early playing days in Utah. Kirilenko figures to be a starter for the T-Wolves and get some significant minutes at the forward spots. Watch for Kirilenko to improve upon his career scoring average of 12.4 ppg and 2.8 apg while maintaining his 5 rpg average. Kirilenko could be a bargain in salary cap leagues; capitalize on him being undervalued due to playing overseas last season.