With the Jazz set to open the preseason tonight at home against Milwaukee, Kirilenko will take the court at EnergySolutions Arena for the first time since he voiced his desire to leave Utah in a series of Russian interviews last month.

In the six seasons he has played for the Jazz, Kirilenko has had two sons born in Salt Lake City, a place he said Tuesday is "like my second home." His wife opened a boutique at the Gateway and his Kirilenko Kids foundation does work in Utah and Russia.

Yet Kirilenko only three weeks ago said his unhappiness playing for the Jazz was great enough to walk away from the $63 million guaranteed on his contract as well as from a team that reached the Western Conference finals last season.

His teammates have largely brushed aside the controversy that greeted them to start the season. For his part, Kirilenko said he wasn't worried about how he would be received by Jazz fans, who stuck with him through the worst season of his career in 2006-07.

"There is a lot of opinion every time, negative and positive, so what I can do about it?" Kirilenko said. "I hope everybody will stay positive. I never offend fans."

If Saturday's scrimmage in Boise, Idaho, was any indication, Kirilenko should receive strong support. He had among the longest autograph lines of any player, which Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said was a product of his accessibility since coming to Utah in 2001.

"I think he'll be fine," Sloan said. "I don't know why he wouldn't. He's back, he's here to play. He's been a popular player in this community since he's been here. Because he has a little misunderstanding, I don't think there should be any negative fallout over that.

"Players have been upset with me before and I've been upset with them. But that doesn't mean I'm interested in trying to bury 'em. I'm interested in trying to win and I'm sure Andrei feels the same way. Anything other than that, then we have a real problem."

If there are hard feelings on the part of fans, Sloan said Kirilenko could quickly sway them by simply playing hard. "They pick up on that real quick," Sloan said. "Just going and doing your job. And I'm sure he'll do that."

In two Russian interviews earlier this summer, Kirilenko talked about his fondness for the Salt Lake City community, especially the activities for families with children. He also praised the LDS Church's emphasis on the family and clean living.

"Andrei and Masha have become very, very much family oriented,'' said Jeff Robbins, chairman of Kirilenko's foundation, "and in many ways what he said in the article, they're very much like people that live in Utah, more than people at first blush might think."

Over the years, Kirilenko's foundation has provided support to the Utah Food Bank and Huntsman Cancer Institute as well as buying Jazz tickets for disadvantaged children. On his first day back in Salt Lake, amid all the controversy, Kirilenko even went and played soccer with a group of local kids, Robbins said.

"I never have problem with the fans," Kirilenko said Tuesday. "I never tried to put any pressure on fans because they've been always great. It's never been a point. Both my sons is local guys. It's like my second home."

Center Mehmet Okur said he hoped the six seasons Kirilenko has spent with the Jazz would outweigh any recent comments made.

"I think they're going to support him because he play six years for Jazz and everybody loves him out there," Okur said. "He looks good right now. He is fresh. He came in with the clear mind. Hopefully, they're going to support him out there [tonight]."

Along with Okur and Deron Williams, Kirilenko is expected to play limited minutes tonight. That's owing more to the fact that it is a preseason game, Sloan said, than wanting to give the three extra rest after playing for their national teams this summer.

rsiler@sltrib.com

Season Opponent Result

2000 Sacramento Lost 107-83

2001 Sacramento Lost 101-95

2002 Seattle Won 89-82

2003 Dallas Won 90-85

2004 Seattle Won 100-84

2005 Toronto Won 102-101

2006 L.A. Lakers Lost 94-79

Milwaukee at Utah

Bucks at Jazz

Preseason opener Tonight, 7 p.m. Inside

TV: KJZZ

Preseason openers

The Jazz are 4-3 in their past seven preseason openers. They have not opened at home since the strike-shortened 1999 season.