Kirilenko living his dream

LOS ANGELES — Watching his now nearly 2-year-old son, Fedor, proud papa Andrei Kirilenko — he all of 22 years in age — can't help but admire the kid's consistency.

"Every day," Kirilenko said, "he's the same. He's happy every day."

Kirilenko strives to be just that way.

Always happy. Always playing with passion. Always striving to be the best.

So far, so good.

Tonight, the Jazz's third-season small forward plays in his first NBA All-Star Game — completing a succession of seasons in which he worked his way from one level to the next, rising all the way.

A pro at age 15. MVP of the European Juniors Championships at 16, MVP of the World Junior Championships and FIBA Eurostars selection in 1999, MVP of the Russian Basketball Championships in 2000, Basket News' "Top Player in Europe" in 2001, NBA rookie game all-star in 2002, NBA Rookie Challenge sophomore all-star a season ago. And now, an NBA All-Star, only one major individual honor not yet on his resume.

"There's one more goal: To be MVP of the league," said Kirilenko, adding that it goes without saying winning "a ring" is even more important than that.

To get either, or even both, Kirilenko senses he will need to play with Fedor-like consistency.

"Right now," he said, "I realize there's a lot of guys that can play the highest level.

"It's pretty hard," Kirilenko added, "to work hard and be consistent. Extremely consistent . . . But, it's a goal."

Michael Jordan did it.

"When I was young, Michael Jordan was the best — because he was the best player all-time," Kirilenko said. "And we, growing up on him, look at him only. I mean, rest of the guys were a little bit lower."

John Stockton did it, too. Karl Malone still does.

Then there are those a bit younger doing it now, all multi-time All-Stars: "Shaq, Duncan, Garnett . . . McGrady, Iverson, Jason Kidd."

Kirilenko knows not only the names, but also the history of the game.

It goes back to when he was young, learning fundamentals at Frunzenskaya Sports School in St. Petersburg, honing his skills at the Trinta Basketball School in Moscow.