HoopsHype.com Rumors

Speaking from Russia on Thursday, new Timberwolves forward Andrei Kirilenko listed the reasons -- beyond $10 million a season, of course --why he chose to resume his NBA career in Minnesota. "It's very flattering when the G.M., the coach, players are calling you and saying, 'We need you, we need your experience,''' he said of a courtship process that included numerous telephone calls as well as $20 million guaranteed over the next two seasons if Kirilenko wants it. He also called himself a fan of Wolves coach Rick Adelman, dating to his seasons in Sacramento a decade ago. "That Sacamento team was one of my favorite ones: A lot of Europeans, great flavor for the game," he said from Moscow after participating in the NBA's "Basketball Without Borders" camp intended to grow the game worldwide. "I said, 'Wow, I really have the chance to play for a coach with a team-oriented system, kind of like they play in European basketball." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, Rick Adelman, Andrei Kirilneko