Before representing the USA on the Paris Olympics court next month, the team will lock horns with the All-Star team. And, just like every year, an unheard talent is spotted: Rebecca Allen. Notably, Allen is poised to enter the Olympics for the second time in her career.

Allen, also known as ‘Spida’, for her long legs and hands, is currently playing for the Phoenix Mercury. Despite facing injury drawbacks, Allen focused on making her comeback. But, what is the story behind this determined hooper? Let’s find out.

A Profile

Rebecca Allen was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. Born to Brian O’Neill and Hallfriour Reichenfeld, Allen is a dizygotic twin. Allen, right from the beginning, had an interest in basketball but always looked out for an opportunity to take it to a professional level. And that finally came her way in high school.

At a mere 16 years old, Allen was sought out for the Women’s National Basketball League. As part of the WNBL, she played for Dandenong Rangers, South East Queensland Stars, Melbourne Boomers, and the Australian Institute of Sport. However, her major success came when she played with the Knox Raiders where the team bagged the championship and Allen received the Barbara Barton (Grand Final MVP) medal.

After her success at the world championship success where she won the bronze medal, Allen entered the WNBA. She signed as a free agent with the New York Liberty in 2015. However, this success seemed short-lived as after this, she suffered a season-ending right knee cartilage injury, prompting Allen to return home for an urgent surgery.

Moving on, Allen was traded to the Connecticut Sun last season where she averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game in all 40 games she played. Meanwhile, she also made appearances at the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Cups, EuroLeague, and Olympics. Apart from this, Allen features a long list of accolades including SEABL Grand Final MVP 2013, FIBA World Cup 2014 Bronze, FIBA World Cup Silver 2018, FIBA World Cup 2022 bronze, and FIBA Asia Cup 2019 bronze.

All of this led to her being named to this season’s Australian National Team’s roster. But, as Allen just came back from another injury, is her name on the roster for the Paris Olympics justified?

Rebecca Allen Stats

Allen is known for her versatility and shooting prowess on the court. Playing as a forward, she features a combination of length and agility that helps her impact games on both ends of the court. Back in 2020, Allen was enlisted for her first Olympics debut as part of the Opals, Australia’s women’s basketball team. After playing a couple of matches, the Opals reached the quarterfinals to face off against Team USA.

Since the USA’s roster featured immense talent and a history of Olympic gold medals over the years, the Opals were defeated. But this time, it might be different! As of now, Allen averages 7.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Since the beginning of this season, Allen has been on and off the court. Since signing with Phoenix, Allen has been in concussion protocol.

This is primarily due to her hip injury during the preseason and a back injury this regular season. However, in the last game against the Dallas Wings, she contributed to 14 points and 3 rebounds in 20 minutes of gameplay. Undoubtedly, these stats are enough to portray how well she can perform.

Now, the 31-year-old is preparing to deliver when playing in the Olympics. Do you think she will be able to put up a good performance?

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.