and now she talks to n.b.a. star andrei kirilenko about what it takes a russian guide to become a sports celebrity spotlight is up next. culture is that so much of allaah to people at hearing all that was it all tell the difference between altruistic two thousand and eleven the world changed in ways hardly anyone could have expected we witnessed the rise of people power on. how we're here and welcome to the spotlight i'll do nov and today my guest on the show is kitty lanka russia supported by the world always known around the world they were always among the best in the world but after the iron curtain fell off the soviet borders twenty years ago many russian stars started to go abroad to play in the best clubs of europe as the united states a bit later russian club started making big bucks and they also started hiring the best athletes in the world and sometimes recruiting the russian stars so came back so stayed abroad what does it take to make a living to make a career in big sports today we have a chance to

talked to n.b.a. star. about what it takes for a russian athlete to become a sports celebrity that's in spotlight. hello again and welcome to the spotlight i'll do you know and today my guest on the show is. kitty lanka russia supported by the world always known around the world they were always among the best in the world but after the iron curtain fell off of the soviet borders twenty years ago many russian stars started to go abroad to play in the best clubs in europe and the united states a bit later russian clubs started making big bucks and they also started hiring the best athletes in the world and sometimes recruiting the russian stars so came back so stayed abroad what does it take to make a living to make a career in big sports today we have a chance to ask a person who made it both in russia and in play united states killpack no one in the n.b.a. has a k forty seven. hundred kurylenko his musket ball korea is a great success story he first played in russia's top league at the age of sixty but did

for one season they would level up with a level up of the n.b.a. clubs and be like the same level is still true i would say the current team if you bring the term be their rule there would get probably fifteen twenty when it's a season but if they play more and more time when you know get some time to adjust and get used to the n.b.a. style. i wouldn't say we would be a playoff team were we would be somewhere close and fighting for the spot what is the reason i don't know you ask yourself this question why why can't the clubs other than the united states be as good as n.b.a. what's the main reason. well all prosper well i think it's all preparation before the n.b.a. you know the c.w.a. it's a huge. leap for the students where all the young talents grow up to be. you know as best as they can be and joining and be a right after the great great using. proven and they've grown up getting you know muscles and fighting so hard. unfortunately there's not a lot of good steering basketball guys who was very talented fifteen sixteen years old they have to pl

n.b.a. . you know american sport was when you personally enter a career like a k forty seven when you come back now to play in the army club and are you different from the other guys i mean. because you've got your good n.b.a. today you'll have four hands so does that make you different does that make you special. well i think be experiences definitely helps. players look at your little bit different. know that you have a great experience but it gives you away more responsibility because you can't. misstep you have to be on the same level every day and you have to. give the good example for everybody a bit you know i'm here but i'm here to relax i'm here to work i'm here to show you the example how it's supposed to be and you know it takes some probably external just sometimes because if you don't play in the n.b.a. you already do everybody knows that you know you're in the team and you play him what you can but it is no more than i have here you are more like a symbol b. and you know you can'

n.b.a. star. about what it takes for russian athletes to become a sports celebrity that's in spotlight. how. is. always. always among the best in the world but the iron curtain fell off the twenty years ago many russians started to go abroad to play in the best. states a bit later russian club started making big bets and they also started hiring the best athletes in the world. so so. what is it take to make a living to make a career in big sports today we have a. person who made it both in russia and the united states. know in the n.b.a. as a case. and. as a great success story he first played in russia. but didn't stay there for long. years he was. becoming the youngest european player. during the twelve years he spent with jazz he was one of the team's best players with an annual salary of fifteen million dollars. he moved back to moscow to play for. the state. teams want to recruit him and keep making generous proposals. drain welcome to the show thank you very much for being with us well

if you play in the n.b.a. you already been everybody knows that you know you're in the team you play and what you can but it is no more than i am here you're more like a symbol. and you know you can't really have you know. they would allow you the usual mistakes and mean you know it's not you know love to make. you mentioned that only nine. russians this is only fifteen guys never really. well now you are needed here but you are a foreigner when you play in the states with your opinion there's a huge discussion now in russia about about attracting foreigners to play for russian teams in football and ice hockey and basketball your opinion about what is good or bad should we limit the number of foreigners i think i think it's a different situation. in russia. you know r. and b. is the best league and everybody will support it doesn't matter a. whole team is foreigners you know because there's a lot of examples like when a lot of foreigners play there in russia i think it's a little different situation because. w

are two different leagues if you get to see at least one n.b.a. match then you know right away that it's wrong to compare it to anything else. at twenty five years old team if a had already become a living legend in russia and the moscow region in particular despite knowing that his services are required in the n.b.a. asap most golf didn't hold back in his final match for him keep picking up sixteen points four rebounds four assists and two blocked shots it's earned in an impressive performance to ensure his side maintains a one hundred percent record in this season's united d.t.b. league give us a little so. with but for can do a little with it so this is just of them all of them will be. small kids or they'll tell the whole small kid. he is with us by phone in the future just because it's most useful loss of college and so he puzzles told us that the. team of famous golf took part in his level matches for denver this year but has still not had a chance to display his full potential on the court as he has not been in the starting line up yet howe

the n.b.a.'s denver nuggets staying in close touch during the lockout his mind is now probably already in colorado where it's hoped he'll reach new heights and make your spam of friends and country proud and must go but knows what to do in order to approach this sixty six and be a season in top shape you have a real this was not a start training a soon as i arrive in denver it's very important to get a climatized quickly especially a ten for because it's the highest city in american basketball and it's harder to breathe if you're not used to such altitude was on the first week of the twelfth house for everything else well i'm returning to my old home and hopefully my old life to timothy miles golf will not be all alone in denver as his wife is taking the transatlantic trip with him because he's doing our friends in denver already waiting for us we're south of there so when we arrive i'll probably be resting for a few days and getting used to the time difference after spending five months here in

now the lockout in the n.b.a. effectively over basco stars are returning to north america from europe where they've been plying their trade cheering the to speak to some us goes under a carol lanka says he's yet to make up his mind about whether he'll return to the states are for a spell in the russian capital compassionate to famous golf he's heading back to denver after a stint at his hometown club with him and custer at has more. europe's arguably best number five player hume kids center team of famous golf he's only the seventh russian to play in the national basketball association he signed a three year deal with the new york knicks in twenty ten but was then traded to the denver nuggets where he still under contract must go over third to keep kids hearing the lockout in the n.b.a. but he always knew that as soon as the standoff was over he would be on one of the first planes back to the united states you're i've shown here in russia what i've learnt in america or tournament on the n.b.a. are two different le

and finally with the n.b.a. lockout almost over russia's top basketball stars on title lanka and consignments go all weighing up the future of to play for our country and i also have reports of . europe's arguably best number five player he took a center team of famous golf he's only the seventh russian to play in the national basketball association he signed a three year deal with the new york knicks in twenty ten but was then traded to the denver nuggets where he still under contract must go over thirty keep kids during the lockout in the n.b.a. but he always knew that as soon as the standoff was over he would be on the one of the first planes back to the united states through group i've shown here in russia what i've learned in america or tournament on the n.b.a. are two different leagues if you get to see at least one n.b.a. match then you'll know right away that it's wrong to compare to twenty thing else i at twenty five years old to my fate had already become a living legend in russia and the moscow region

game of basketball especially in russia with thousands of kids turned up to witness him and another n.b.a. stars white howard and an event in moscow last summer he stayed in one place for hours just signing autographs for anyone that asked becoming a true champion of the people in the process. r.t. moscow. brings us to curling where russia's women's team have taken their chances their home european championships moving to within a game of the playoffs thanks to a seven four win over rock bottom norway after a four wins four defeats russia saw fit heading into wednesday meaning in order to finish in the top court so qualifying for the playoffs the home side had to beat the norwegians out hope denmark were too good for fourth place germany despite being lost in the table norway kept the game title to late if. one starts when the two thousand and six european champions came from behind to secure a one point lead eventually winning seven four. scoreline while second place denmark did beat germany to set up a classic russian leader on thursday the winner about one will play in the final few of

stolz what if it's a hypothetical situation there's a lockout in the n.b.a. where would you go in europe i don't know this might seem like a good place to. look because there is very good the soup is. good risk calls it is very nice to hear it. just a great place you know and i'm reading a lot of fun here just me you know a lot of people like playing basketball you know it's been a better put it there where do you see yourself playing at the beginning of next season. because. you know as a player you know that would be a little. hard to tell for the everybody is sort of cool do you get to the metal team i suppose play for a little less that you don't have to scroll through you know all the right things have the. right to the players right if you were to pick go for partners from the n.b.a. or would they be oh look. there's no. speedman tracks enough. of. those. aerial loops. there. are you know i got five months to live get back to russia what of the rest of your plans and would you like to come here like incognito like no not anybody know where you just have

fan support is not the only difference between the russian basketball league and the n.b.a. the american schedule is more intense with regular season games sometimes held four times a week so the studying of the opponent shot practice or simply warm up takes center stage during practice providing plenty of room for individual skills. it is team play no one negates that but compared to europe it is somehow more individualized i would say the game is based on single players who play one on one and win it they may score a goal just make a pass european basketball not to mention russia is slightly different people try to find other solutions to the difficulties that arise during the game. the russians will be hoping to qualify for the london olympics by winning the european championship in september it's hope that both russian and be a stars and break into langkow and to more famous golf will be available to help the team a little mania they acquired individual skills from the united states and their home bred team play is expected to be the winning formula. of artsy moscow. and

stalls what if it's a hypothetical situation there's a lockout in the n.b.a. where would you go in europe i don't know this might seem like a good place to be. because we're very you know the soup is beautiful. good risk all things very nice to hear but you know this is a great place you know and i'm reading a lot of fun here just meeting all the people like playing basketball you know it's been an ambassador what you see yourself playing at the beginning of next season. here here because. you know there's a little earlier than that because we want to. know now that it's helpful to everybody's sort of pool deviously medal what team ossicles hopefully it will still be you know i'm happy a little small group you know all the right things happen. in life to take place if you were to pick go for partners from the n.b.a. to with a b. oh look. first of all steven tricksy of. the summer. their lives ruined. everything in my. life and i've got five months to live getting back to russia would know the rest of your plans and would you like to come here like incognito li

but meanwhile in the n.b.a. russian home club the new jersey nets lost one hundred sixty seven day on home course to the atlanta hawks on tuesday night and that's had beaten the washington wizards in a way for a game but were totally eclipsed by the boards who were playing their first match the visitors led by eight points to normal after a cagey two and a half minutes and they took a two digit lead still in the first quarter after the game you have none of which inflicted the biggest damage the serbian went on to finish with a game high seventeen points off the bench marshall brooks would pour in as many for the next but the home side never got close to the start and robin williams scored another fourteen for atlanta to substitute the southwick added a double double of searching points and eleven rebounds. and let's finish with basketball and our latest holiday special feature and be a star dwight howard paid a visit to the russian capital in the summer and our own ron kozyrev caught up with the orlando magic c

game of basketball especially in russia with thousands of kids turned up to witness him and another n.b.a. stars white howard and events in moscow last summer he stayed in one place for hours just signing autographs for anyone that asked becoming a true champion of the people in the process. through r.t. moscow. may be hard to believe but ski sensation lindsey vonn has only won her first world cup event on home slopes the twenty ten olympics gold medalist topping the super g. standings in colorado where the event moved jeter luck of snow in the french alps no evolved as here then on the schedule to chew on season of temper fury meaning leaving the men's birds all of the way down the road and be far beyond she should be challenging for the p.c. by taking the subway so whatever well she aged it's her country at. my own raucous one supports she lives in nearby field colorado the twenty seven year old taking the victory secure second austrian on a third fall now with a massive one hundred thirty six point lead in the overall standing she also tops the super job. right. now in jordan stretchin

n.b.a. season maybe just a day zero but already this drama carry it is all kicking off in the basketball world you'd think in the n.b.a. after months of negotiation the arguments that learn to agree no such luck you are not coming up in just a second. your company this is sports and a plenty ahead this hour including. rain in spain the next cazan suffer their third defeat in the euro league to perfect barcelona but can still look forward to top sixteen basketball later this season. staying in his nest hours off to be n.b.a. collective bargaining agreement is ratified the league smush three team trade involving your league hornets star chris. chance of a lifetime the five members of team russia's ice cross jungle squad the perfect travel the world in their quest for success in twenty two. let's talk about well we're going excuse on we're unable to stop the surging barcelona in the euro league last night sponsored on beaten in eight games but the knicks have reason to celebrate as well they ar

a spectator of the night but he's been an important part of impressive round so far this year with n.b.a. season due to get in the way later this month the former you to just forward his decision to make stay or go correspondent from one course or ask him that very question. in one thousand nine hundred nine andrei kirilenko became not only the first russians of it takes in the first round of the n.b.a. draft but also the youngest european players to be selected in two thousand and one he joined the utah jazz and remained faithful to the salt lake team for a full san years before becoming a free agent and moving back to european powerhouse says calm moscow twenty eleven saw the revival of russia's red army club in a large part thanks to the experienced n.b.a. forward now following a successful spell at home kirilenko is uncertain if you want to go back to the n.b.a. part i'm definitely looking at the offer. when i signed a deal with. the. i'm going to be leaving remember him middle of the season but when it comes to this point you know it's always tough to leave the team in the middle of

twenty eleven so the revival of russia's red army club in a large part thanks to the experienced n.b.a. forward now following a successful spell at home kirilenko is uncertain if you want to go back to the n.b.a. palme definitely looking at the office. when i signed the deal with. here that. i'm going to be leaving me the middle of the season but when it comes to this point you know it's always tough to leave the team in the middle of the season and you know we have a great chemistry. and that's why it makes it the way tougher to make a decision six time you really champion says come moscow are now well on their way to their seventh continental title and i'm take it angle has been instrumental in the current campaign and was even the most valuable player of the tournaments in october needless to say a k forty seven is a regular in the national squad where he helped the team on their way to becoming european champions in two thousand and seven these impressive performance earned the prestigious black berry honor at the two thousand and eight olympics in beijing as well as a visit to the

so the hardwood now where opening games of the new n.b.a. season the war find they held in one of them former n.b.a. champions los angeles lakers have started the new season with a defeat kobe bryant and company losing to the chicago bulls on home court by a single points eighty eight eighty seven now the visitors had a narrow two point lead after the first quarter they extended their advantage to seven by halftime mainly thanks to derrick rose who would eventually finish with twenty two points for the visitors the lakers vocal only in the third period as bryant's with his partners added eight more than their rivals to find themselves one point ahead by the beginning of the fourth quarter a dunk from josh mcroberts giving los angeles a sixty nine sixty eight lead the sides were neck and neck for the final twelve minutes bots with less than five seconds to go rose added the most important two pointer to seal the final result the game finished eighty eight eighty seven in favor of the bulls. and staying across the ocean where in the n.f.l. the

a late shots to hands the miami heat's their third straight win since the start of the season the n.b.a. dream team fighting back to edge the charlotte bobcats on the road by a single point well the cats went out of their way to place their record home that maybe twenty thousand people breaking away right from the off slip on cruise control for most of the match dustin and gerald henderson connecting for forty one points between them but the bron james also ran wild for the heat poignant and game high thirty five points chris bosh added another twenty five then with less than three seconds to go wade what looked like a tough shot. where people bad for gusting missed a buzzer beaters for a point out that would save the day for charlotte ninety six ninety five to miami is how it finished. and we finish with well basketball rushes to a famous goal was instrumental in the denver nuggets victory at home to the utah jazz on wednesday but speed for the season finally started and on the revis at home in the summer the center talked to our own lancaster with. despite it's not quite making it to

but was blocked by the n.b.a. the new orleans hornets team thirty two year old a little we used to practice after learning he was used as a bargaining chip on his no on a sweet texas. it's been the perfect weekend for the barcelona football club blog granted not only defeating their biggest rivals real madrid away from home but in doing so moved top of the spanish premier league table it was on the field. for the research early on karim benzema scoring the fastest ever el classico goal in twenty three seconds but. through alexis was deflected strike from the last word in the three one victory then coming by the head of. top the standings on goal difference from reality but the losers do hold a game and. this is what it meant to the barcelona faithful despite winning just about everything there is to win in football these past number of seasons defeating ryall in the spanish capital is always i treat for them the famed last run bless his soul was the centerpiece for boston celebrations the team beaten in six visits