Nine.

That's how many wins ESPN.com NBA expert Frank Hughes predicted the Utah Jazz would earn this 82-game season. Hughes and others felt the Jazz had the least-talented team in the league and would likely be one of the all-time worst in history.

Some others weren't quite so harsh, but none figured the Jazz would finish above .500 this transitional season and be in the thick of the playoff race down to the wire — especially in the loaded Western Conference.

But — thanks in large part to new All-Star Andrei Kirilenko, the do-it-all Russian with the infectious smile — the Jazz have proven the "experts" to be dead wrong.

Nine.

That's how many games the Jazz won in March alone.

Take that, Mr. Hughes.

There were others from the state who had outstanding performances last month — including Jazz teammates Raja Bell and Carlos Arroyo, BYU big man Rafael Araujo, Ute guard Nick Jacobson and Utah gymnasts Annabeth Eberle and Melissa Vituj. But for his enormous role during the Jazz's unlikely playoff race, Kirilenko has been named the Deseret Morning News' Athlete of the Month for March.

Despite garnering more defensive attention from opponents since being named an All-Star for the first time in February, Kirilenko had another strong month in leading the Jazz to a 9-6 record. While it wasn't his best scoring or shooting month of the year, he continued to have outstanding all-around games. He averaged 14 points, 3.3 blocks, 1.9 steals, 3 assists and 9.1 rebounds in 37 minutes per game during the month.

He knows he's valuable due to his versatility.

"I am a pretty good all-around player, so I can concentrate on other things (rather than shooting)," he said after a huge game March 23 when he had 19 points, seven blocks, seven assists, four steals and eight rebounds against the Wizards. "For me, I think my game from defense to offense. Not from offense to defense. Start to play good defense, feel confident on the floor and you feel good."

Kirilenko admits he needs to be more consistent, but he's still young. He didn't turn 23 until mid-February.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan likes the fact that Kirilenko listens in practice in an attempt to get better.

"I've gotten on his butt as hard as I have anybody," Sloan said recently, "and he's responded in the right way, in my opinion. He's a terrific guy to coach."

Kirilenko is currently third in the NBA in steals and fourth in blocked shots. Plus, he leads the Jazz in scoring and rebounding as well.

"He's such a force on both ends" of the court, said teammate Greg Ostertag earlier this season.