Bigger, stronger ? better with age? News Phoenix Suns

The bangs and biceps are new. The guy who's sporting them this year certainly isn't. Even with an altered appearance, Andrei Kirilenko ? loaded guns, non-spiky hair and all ? is the player Utah Jazz fans are most used to seeing on the team after all these years. Believe it or not, this will be his ninth year in the NBA and in Utah.

Kirilenko isn't the face of the franchise like many figured he would be when he signed a max contract five years ago to the date ? on Oct. 28, 2004. But through attrition, the Russian forward has become the longest-tenured Jazz player on the team. He is also now the last remaining link ? if you count active players, and we are ? between the modern Jazz squad and the drifting-further-into-the-past Stockton-to-Malone era. As of last season, Jarron Collins and Matt Harpring were the only other remaining players who'd been teammates of Utah's dynastic duo. Collins, however, is Phoenix-bound after not being re-signed by Utah and getting waived by Portland. Harpring continues to rest his injured knee and ankle at his Atlanta home, with his NBA playing days seemingly over. That leaves Kirilenko as the team's elder statesman as far as years served in Utah goes. "I'm the only one left. It makes me feel older," he said. "I don't feel old physically, but mentally, yeah, I feel like I've been (here) a long time." Kirilenko officially joined the Jazz in 2001, but he's been in the fold since getting drafted in the first round as an 18-year-old back in 1999. Only seven players ? of the 216 who've donned Jazz uniforms the past 35 years ? have played in more games and had longer stays with the organization. Kirilenko has a whole decade to go before reaching the seniority status earned by John Stockton (19 years) or Karl Malone (18), but he's already outlasted the likes of Rickey Green (eight), Adrian Dantley (seven) and Jeff Hornacek (seven). With another year on his contract, Kirilenko would reach his 10-year Utah anniversary to match Mark Eaton, Greg Ostertag, Darrell Griffith and Thurl Bailey in 2010-11. Kirilenko has gone through thick and thin times in Utah. Highlights of his unique, hustling talent include an All-Star season in 2004, multiple selections to the NBA's All-Defensive teams and becoming only the second NBA player ever to fill up boxscores and stat sheets with multiple 5x5 games. Lowlights include a rough 2006-07 season, including a teary-eyed postseason, and an even rougher offseason in which he earned accolades as Europe's best player but talked about not wanting to play in Utah anymore. A couple of years have erased the bitterness and emotion of that summer. Trade rumors involving him have ceased, and Kirilenko now acts as happy as a Russian clam to be here. "The good thing is you know everything," Kirilenko said. "You know what to expect. You know how to deal with it. I've been through a lot of stuff, good, bad things. It's not surprising to me like a lot of decisions that are made. ... You get used to it." Tell the Jazz about it. "He knows what to expect from Jerry (Sloan). We know, hopefully, what to expect from him," said Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor, who recently celebrated his 10th anniversary in Utah. Those expectations have obviously adjusted over the years. Kirilenko's role has changed from him being THE MAN ? he has the $86 million contract to prove it ? to him being one of the main men off the bench. He's gone from being a defensive force and a reliable scorer, to him wondering what coaches want, to accepting a position of support instead of stardom, to him being blamed by some for putting the Jazz in a financial bind and not giving Utah its full money's worth. The expectations have even changed from last spring. Management suggested that the lanky Kirilenko pack on some muscle mass, and he duly submitted to their request by pumping iron to add about 20 pounds of brawn. The Jazz have noticed a difference. The 235-pound Kirilenko can do more and has more firepower than the leaner AK-47 ? a welcome change, especially considering his $16.5 million salary makes him the 11th-highest-paid player in the NBA. Kirilenko hasn't felt a loss in his dangerous speed and he feels "way more comfortable offensively, especially" in his new, thicker body. He's able to maintain his balance better, and grasp onto the ball more firmly. "I can kind of resist better, get banged a little bit," he said. "But you feel way better ... not get pushed around." O'Connor noticed that against Portland this preseason, in particular. Kirilenko was able to make positive things happen by banging around with big guys by the basket. He is encouraged Kirilenko will continue to finish strong or earn trips to the free-throw line. O'Connor sees "a renewed enthusiasm" in Kirilenko because of his hard work this offseason. "Hopefully, it turns out to be successful for us," he said, "because we need Andrei Kirilenko to play well. That's the bottom line. When he plays well, we're a very, very good Basketball team." Sloan sees a difference, but he needs more time to determine whether or not Kirilenko's all-around game is stronger due to his strength. The coach credits the forward for playing "pretty well" in some preseason games.One thing Sloan continues to expect and appreciate is Kirilenko's passing ability that he says can "help us make plays." He also loves the versatility of being able to start the spunky player or to bring him off the bench. ??? Kirilenko may sound like a grandpa ? instead of a young father of three, including a newly adopted Russian baby girl ? if he blathered on about the good-ole glory days of Stockton and Malone. He got here after the Finals' runs, but the NBA legends were still forces. Still, he's not about to pull out the "When I played with John and Karl we did things this way" card. No comparisons. "It's two different teams, and I think we should build ourselves together as a team rather than look back and try to get the different formula," he said. "They have different people then, they have different players, different scorers, different mentality." Sloan believes his club and the community have benefited from the long relationship with Kirilenko, even if the 6-foot-9 athlete has been the occasional target of local criticism by frustrated fans. "He's a lively guy, and I think he has fun with his teammates and fans," Sloan said. "He's just like everybody else, matures a little bit more as you go along." Over the years, the affable two-time Northwest Division Sportsmanship Award recipient has participated in Jr. Jazz summer clinics and in the team's "Read to Achieve" program as well as helping youth in Utah and Russia through his charity, the Kirilenko's Kids foundation. At first, Kirilenko was stunned the Jazz wanted him to change after all of his years of being a lean, gazelle-quick player. But he is embracing the new him, though he admits "it's tough" to maintain his gain. He can lose up to five pounds a practice, so he has to remind himself to eat small snacks and to stay hydrated to replace used-up electrolytes and burned calories. He also comes early to practices to hit the weights. "It's a mindset," he said. "I hope I can keep it through the whole season." So far, so good. And about that other change? Is his longer, neatly combed hairstyle reflective of a more mature, experienced veteran? The answer, he laughed, isn't quite so symbolic. "During the summertime, I grow my hair," he said, "and I didn't have time to cut it. So busy ... I kind of forget it." However it came about, O'Connor has complimented the new, conservative look. So, what does coach think? Until Kirilenko's bangs start blocking shots, Sloan couldn't care less about his player's hair. "I don't get into that," Sloan said, smiling. "I'm not going to marry him." e-mail: jody@desnews.com

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