Elena Baranova
Encyclopedia
Elena Viktorovna Baranova is a Russia
n professional basketball
player. She is a former Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA) player, where she became the first player from Europe in 1997 WNBA inaugural season, the first All-Star from Russia in 2001 and played for the New York Liberty
until the 2005 season.
, in the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
, in the USSR
(present-day Bishkek
, Kyrgyzstan
). She started playing professional basketball at age 16, made USSR national team at the age of 17, won European Championship at the age of 19 in 1991 and became the Olympic champion at the age of 20 in 1992, quickly proved herself as one of the best basketball players in the World.
on January 22, 1997. And was later traded with Utah's second-round pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft
to the Miami Sol
in exchange for Kate Starbird and the 8th pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft (December 15, 1999). She was taken in the 2003 WNBA Dispersal draft
by the New York Liberty
.
In January 1997, Baranova was selected among world's 16 top players to play in the inaugural WNBA season and in the first and inaugural WNBA championship. So the league was created and she became the first player from Russia and even from Europe to play in the World's Top Women's Basketball League.
Also known as 'Russian Queen' and 'SuperNova', Elena shined in 7 WNBA seasons during 1997-2005: 3 for Utah Starzz, 1 for Miami Sol and 3 for New York Liberty. She took part in 220 games where she scored 2,215 points, leading her teams to the Conference Semifinals (2001, 2005) and Conference Final (2004) and proved her name and reputation as one of the best in Pro Basketball Women.
In her first WNBA season she led the League in blocked shots (2,25 blocks per game) and set the League's single-game record for three-point field goals with 7 of 9 recorded July 22, 1997 at Madison Square Garden, New York. In 2001 WNBA season she got 'The Bud Light Shooting Champion' trophy as the League's top free-throw shooter (with 93,1%). The same 2001 season she was selected to play in WNBA All-Star Game in Orlando to become the first and only player from Russia to represent her country at the All-Star Weekend, where she set WNBA All-Star Game record for blocked shots (4).
As one of the League's most versatile weapons, Elena is one of just 2 players in WNBA All-Time History to record over 200 three-point field goals (with 236) and 300 blocks (with 320).
Although she performed just in 7 of WNBA's 12 seasons, Elena is still in the list of the League's best players of All-Time: 7th in blocks (320), 7th in blocks per game (1.53), 12th in 3-point field goal percentage (.391), 14th in rebounds per game (6.4), 17th in free-throw percentage (.845).
. Elena has played in 105 games for her National team (which is Russia all-time record for men and women), in which she scored over 1300 points representing her country at three Olympic Games (1992, 1996, 2004), two World championships (1998, 2002) and seven European Championships (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003). At last 3 events she appeared as the captain of Russian national team (2002 World championship, 2003 European championship, 2004 Olympic Games).
At 1998 World championship where Elena led Russia to silver medals she was awarded by MVP (Most Valuable Player) prize and in 2002 World championship (where she also brought Russians to become the vice-champions) Elena Baranova was selected to the World's Top 5 Team.
1991 European Champion as a member of USSR team (the last competition where USSR team took part), Elena led her country to the first Russian Gold medals in basketball at 2003 European Championship, where she also was selected to Europe 'Top 5 Team'.
PRO CAREER
Europe: 20 seasons, over 650 games, over 12,000 points, over 6,000 rebounds
Stroitel Frounze (USSR, 1988-1989), Dynamo Moscow
(USSR, 1989-1992), Elitzur Holon (Israel
, 1992-1994), CSKA Moscow (Russia
, 1994-1999), Bison Mytischi (Russia, 1999), Fenerbahçe Istanbul (Turkey
, 1999-2000), Villa Pini Chieti (Italy
, 2000-2001), UMMC Ekaterinburg
(Russia, 2001-2003), Dynamo Moscow (Russia, 2004-2005), Chevakata Vologda (Russia, 2006-2007), Ros Casares Valencia
(Spain
, 2007-2008), UMMC Ekaterinburg (Russia, 2008-2009), Nadezhda Orenburg (Russia, 2009-2010).
WNBA: 7 seasons, 220 games (178 started), 2,215 points, 1,403 rebounds
Utah Starzz
(1997, 1998, 1999), Miami Sol
(2001), New York Liberty
(2003, 2004, 2005).
2003 EuroLeague Women
Champion (with UMMC Ekaterinburg
) and Final Four MVP.
1997 Ronchetti Cup Champion (with CSKA Moscow).
2010 FIBA Cup Finalist (with Nadezhda Orenburg).
6-times Champion of Russia (the first and only in Russian Women's Basketball) and Russian Cup winner, 2-times Champion of Israel and Israel Cup winner, Vice-Champion of Turkey and Turkish Cup winner, Champion of Spain and Spanish Cup and SuperCup winner.
1998 European Player of The Year.
In 1999 tried herself in men's basketball - successfully played 4 official games for Bison Mytischi in Moscow
region championship where she averaged 6.3 points, 6.25 rebounds and 2.75 blocks. By the end of the same 1999 year was selected as 'The Best Russian Basketball Player of XXth Century' voted by the most popular Russian newspaper 'Sport-Express' readers.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. She is a former Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA) player, where she became the first player from Europe in 1997 WNBA inaugural season, the first All-Star from Russia in 2001 and played for the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
until the 2005 season.
Personal
Baranova was born in FrunzeBishkek
Bishkek , formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan.Bishkek is also the administrative centre of Chuy Province which surrounds the city, even though the city itself is not part of the province but rather a province-level unit of Kyrgyzstan.The name is thought to...
, in the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
The Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Kirghiz SSR, the Kyrgyz SSR, or even Kirghizia, was one of republics that made up the Soviet Union...
, in the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(present-day Bishkek
Bishkek
Bishkek , formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan.Bishkek is also the administrative centre of Chuy Province which surrounds the city, even though the city itself is not part of the province but rather a province-level unit of Kyrgyzstan.The name is thought to...
, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
). She started playing professional basketball at age 16, made USSR national team at the age of 17, won European Championship at the age of 19 in 1991 and became the Olympic champion at the age of 20 in 1992, quickly proved herself as one of the best basketball players in the World.
WNBA career
Baranova was assigned to the Utah StarzzUtah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
on January 22, 1997. And was later traded with Utah's second-round pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft
WNBA Draft
The WNBA Draft is an annual draft held by the WNBA through which WNBA teams can select new players from a talent pool of college and professional women's basketball players. The first WNBA draft was held in 1997...
to the Miami Sol
Miami Sol
The Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
in exchange for Kate Starbird and the 8th pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft (December 15, 1999). She was taken in the 2003 WNBA Dispersal draft
Dispersal draft
A dispersal draft is a process in professional sports for assigning players to a new team when their current team goes out of business, consolidates with another team, or for some other reason ceases to exist. Since most sports drafts are held in North America, this is where most dispersal drafts...
by the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
.
In January 1997, Baranova was selected among world's 16 top players to play in the inaugural WNBA season and in the first and inaugural WNBA championship. So the league was created and she became the first player from Russia and even from Europe to play in the World's Top Women's Basketball League.
Also known as 'Russian Queen' and 'SuperNova', Elena shined in 7 WNBA seasons during 1997-2005: 3 for Utah Starzz, 1 for Miami Sol and 3 for New York Liberty. She took part in 220 games where she scored 2,215 points, leading her teams to the Conference Semifinals (2001, 2005) and Conference Final (2004) and proved her name and reputation as one of the best in Pro Basketball Women.
In her first WNBA season she led the League in blocked shots (2,25 blocks per game) and set the League's single-game record for three-point field goals with 7 of 9 recorded July 22, 1997 at Madison Square Garden, New York. In 2001 WNBA season she got 'The Bud Light Shooting Champion' trophy as the League's top free-throw shooter (with 93,1%). The same 2001 season she was selected to play in WNBA All-Star Game in Orlando to become the first and only player from Russia to represent her country at the All-Star Weekend, where she set WNBA All-Star Game record for blocked shots (4).
As one of the League's most versatile weapons, Elena is one of just 2 players in WNBA All-Time History to record over 200 three-point field goals (with 236) and 300 blocks (with 320).
Although she performed just in 7 of WNBA's 12 seasons, Elena is still in the list of the League's best players of All-Time: 7th in blocks (320), 7th in blocks per game (1.53), 12th in 3-point field goal percentage (.391), 14th in rebounds per game (6.4), 17th in free-throw percentage (.845).
International career
Baranova's scoring and rebounding ability helped the women's Soviet National Basketball Team to win the gold in the European Championship in 1991 as well as the 1992 Summer Olympics1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
. Elena has played in 105 games for her National team (which is Russia all-time record for men and women), in which she scored over 1300 points representing her country at three Olympic Games (1992, 1996, 2004), two World championships (1998, 2002) and seven European Championships (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003). At last 3 events she appeared as the captain of Russian national team (2002 World championship, 2003 European championship, 2004 Olympic Games).
At 1998 World championship where Elena led Russia to silver medals she was awarded by MVP (Most Valuable Player) prize and in 2002 World championship (where she also brought Russians to become the vice-champions) Elena Baranova was selected to the World's Top 5 Team.
1991 European Champion as a member of USSR team (the last competition where USSR team took part), Elena led her country to the first Russian Gold medals in basketball at 2003 European Championship, where she also was selected to Europe 'Top 5 Team'.
PRO CAREER
Europe: 20 seasons, over 650 games, over 12,000 points, over 6,000 rebounds
Stroitel Frounze (USSR, 1988-1989), Dynamo Moscow
Dynamo Moscow (women's basketball)
WBC Dynamo Moscow is a Russian women's basketball club.-Titles Won:* USSR Championship: 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1957, 1958* Russian Super League A: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001* FIBA EuroCup Women: 2007...
(USSR, 1989-1992), Elitzur Holon (Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, 1992-1994), CSKA Moscow (Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, 1994-1999), Bison Mytischi (Russia, 1999), Fenerbahçe Istanbul (Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, 1999-2000), Villa Pini Chieti (Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 2000-2001), UMMC Ekaterinburg
UMMC Ekaterinburg
UMMC Ekaterinburg is a women's basketball team based in Yekaterinburg, Russia that plays in Russia's domestic league and FIBA Europe’s EuroLeague Women. It is a highly successful team in recent years.-External links:* *...
(Russia, 2001-2003), Dynamo Moscow (Russia, 2004-2005), Chevakata Vologda (Russia, 2006-2007), Ros Casares Valencia
Ros Casares Valencia
Ros Casares Valencia is a women's professional Basketball team based in Valencia, Spain. The team currently plays in league Liga Femenina de Baloncesto.-Club names:* Dorna Godella* Costa Naranja* Ros Casares Godella* Ros Casares Valencia...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 2007-2008), UMMC Ekaterinburg (Russia, 2008-2009), Nadezhda Orenburg (Russia, 2009-2010).
WNBA: 7 seasons, 220 games (178 started), 2,215 points, 1,403 rebounds
Utah Starzz
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
(1997, 1998, 1999), Miami Sol
Miami Sol
The Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
(2001), New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
(2003, 2004, 2005).
2003 EuroLeague Women
EuroLeague Women
The EuroLeague Women is the highest professional basketball league in Europe for women’s clubs.Unlike Euroleague for men, the competition is entirely organized by FIBA Europe.-Between 2004-2011:...
Champion (with UMMC Ekaterinburg
UMMC Ekaterinburg
UMMC Ekaterinburg is a women's basketball team based in Yekaterinburg, Russia that plays in Russia's domestic league and FIBA Europe’s EuroLeague Women. It is a highly successful team in recent years.-External links:* *...
) and Final Four MVP.
1997 Ronchetti Cup Champion (with CSKA Moscow).
2010 FIBA Cup Finalist (with Nadezhda Orenburg).
6-times Champion of Russia (the first and only in Russian Women's Basketball) and Russian Cup winner, 2-times Champion of Israel and Israel Cup winner, Vice-Champion of Turkey and Turkish Cup winner, Champion of Spain and Spanish Cup and SuperCup winner.
1998 European Player of The Year.
In 1999 tried herself in men's basketball - successfully played 4 official games for Bison Mytischi in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
region championship where she averaged 6.3 points, 6.25 rebounds and 2.75 blocks. By the end of the same 1999 year was selected as 'The Best Russian Basketball Player of XXth Century' voted by the most popular Russian newspaper 'Sport-Express' readers.
Vital statistics
- Position: Forward/Center
- Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.92 m)
- Weight: 182 lb (83 kg)
- College: Moscow Academy of Sport '95
- Team(s): Utah StarzzUtah StarzzThe Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
, Miami SolMiami SolThe Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
, New York LibertyNew York LibertyThe New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
(WNBA)