"Even though he passed the test, took the oath and did everything else required to become a U.S. citizen, Andrei Kirilenko did not undo one important fact about his life.

He remains a Russian.

It so happens, the New Jersey Nets' new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, hails from the old USSR, too.

With the two important Russian figures converging in the same spot at the same time Wednesday, it's no wonder a new rumor emerged linking the NBA futures of Kirilenko and Prokhorov's Brooklyn-bound Nets.

At different junctures in the day, both guys declined to comment about any and all gossip about that. Kirilenko also reiterated his hopes of re-signing with Utah, too.

"First of all, you know we can't comment on our relationship with different clubs when you have existing contracts, and I'm not going to do it," Kirilenko said. "It's just not good for the Jazz."

But speculation about a Russian reunion emerged after the New York Daily News reported that AK-47 would a desirable Plan B for the Nets if the in-flux franchise is unable to acquire Denver's Carmelo Anthony through a trade.

And after a shocking announcement by Prokhorov during a rare pregame press conference, that option was knocked off the table.

Even so, shortly after saying his team would no longer pursue Melo — or meet with him this week, as previous planned — the Russian billionaire said he couldn't talk about Kirilenko and the Nets.

Earlier in the day, Kirilenko made the same claim, refusing to discuss whether he might sign with Prokhorov this summer when he becomes a free agent or — as a source told the Daily News — whether he might end up in the Nets' front office one day.

"Always only rumors around. I can't control rumors," Kirilenko said. "It's always going to happen, especially with a Russian owner who's the head of New Jersey, so there's always going to be rumors.""