Maria Stepanova’s legend continues to grow after she was named in January 2007 as the FIBA Europe Women’s Player of the Year winner for the second consecutive year. Stepanova had a standout 2006 campaign in which she led CSKA to second place in the EuroLeague Women finals. Stepanova averaged 14.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg and 2.4 bpg. She followed that up by posting 16 ppg, 8.6 rbg and 2.0 bpg at the World Championship, which featured Russia's historic win over the United States in the semi-finals.

She collected her share of awards after a tremendous year in 2005. The 202-cm center was named the 2005 FIBA Europe Player of the Year and was the EuroBasket Women 2005 Most Valuable Player on Russia’s silver medal team after averaging 18 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in the competition. …. She was the centrepiece of Samara’s team that won the 2005 EuroLeague title. With Samara trailing in the championship game, Stepanova scored nine points and grabbed three offensive rebounds in the last five minutes as Samara came from behind to win 69-66. She has continued to put big numbers for Samara this season. She earned an Olympic bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Games, and was a member of the 2000 and 1996 Russian Olympic teams. …. From 1998-2001, she played in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury. …. Stepanova first began playing basketball when she was 10 years old.