Rebecca Allen (basketball)

Rebecca "Spida" Allen (born 6 November 1992) is an Australian women's basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Biography

Allen is a current member of the Australian Women's basketball squad. She is regarded as one of the best athletes in the Jayco Opals program. Allen also represented Australia at the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship for Women held in Chile. Her long arms and legs earned her the nickname "Spida".

In the domestic Women's National Basketball League (WNBL), Allen has played for the Dandenong Rangers (2009 - 2010), Australian Institute of Sport (2010 - 2012), Melbourne Boomers (2012–2015) and South East Queensland Stars (2015–present). In 2014, Allen was awarded the WNBL Robyn Maher Defensive Player of the Year.

Allen played with the Knox Raiders in 2013 SEABL Season where the team took out the Championship. Allen starred and consequently was awarded the Barbara Barton (Grand Final MVP) medal. She was previously awarded the 2011 SEABL Youth Player of the Year.

Following good form in preliminary lead-up games, Allen was selected to represent the national team at the 2014 World Championship held in Turkey. After her success at the World Championship, where she won a bronze medal, Allen signed as a free agent with the New York Liberty for the 2015 WNBA season. Shortly into the 2015 season, Allen suffered a season-ending right knee cartilage injury and decided to return home to Australia to undergo surgery.