Published: 29 July, 2009, 14:44
Edited: 29 July, 2009, 14:44
Russian basketball head coach, David Blatt has confirmed that Andrey Kirilenko will miss September's European Championships for the defending champions, but will return for the national team in the future.
The tournament MVP last time out is skipping the event in Poland for personal reasons, and Blatt says he fully understands the Utah Jazzman's decision.
“He sat down with me and explained his situation in terms of why he wanted to take a summer off. We had a good talk and I certainly understand his decision. We’re behind him and support him a 100 per cent. Andrey will be back with the Russian basketball team when it’s appropriate for him,” Blatt assured.
There was some better news for Coach Blatt though, with American Kelly McCarty joining up with the Russian national team.
The Khimki forward will make his debut for his adopted nation in Poland.
McCarty and Blatt go back a long way, having been together at Maccabi Tel Aviv and at Dinamo St. Petersburg.
“It’s an honor to represent any country. David Blatt and the Federation asked me to come and play on this team and represent Russia as a country in the European game. It wasn’t a hard decision after me and my wife spoke about it,” Kelly McCarty said.
McCarty isn’t the only American representing Russian basketball in international competitions.
American born J.R. Holden scored the winning shot for Russia at EuroBasket 2007, putting in 2 points in the final second of the encounter against the hosts from Spain. He became a Russian citizen by decree of then-President Vladimir Putin in 2003.
Female guard Becky Gammon became a naturalized Russian in 2008, and played a vital role in Russia’s bronze medals at Beijing Olympics.