Rebels Secure American Guard Taylor O’Brien 

The Essex Rebels are pleased to announce the signing of accomplished guard Taylor O’Brien for the upcoming 2024-25 Super League Basketball Women (SLBW) season. 

O’Brien, a 5-foot-10 guard from Pennsylvania, USA, joins the Rebels as they prepare for their season opener in less than two weeks. Her addition to the roster brings valuable experience and proven scoring ability to the team. 

The 24-year-old guard comes to Essex following an impressive season with the Leicester Riders, where she played a key role in their run to the WBBL Playoffs semifinals. Rebels fans may remember O’Brien’s standout performance in last season’s quarterfinal playoff clash, where she contributed 21 points in a closely fought contest that saw Leicester edge out Essex 81-79. 

O’Brien’s consistent performances throughout the 2023-24 season earned her a place in the WBBL Team of the Year. Her stat line speaks to her all-round game: across 22 appearances, she averaged 16.7 points per game on 45.2% shooting from the field, along with 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and just 2.0 turnovers per game. 

Demonstrating her scoring prowess, O’Brien reached double figures in 17 games last season, including a season-high 30 points in the final game against the Sheffield Hatters. Her season average of 16.7 points per game set a new single-season scoring record for the Riders. 

Before her time in the WBBL, O’Brien honed her skills in US college basketball. She spent the 2022-23 season with Florida State in the ACC, contributing 6.7 points per game for the Seminoles. Prior to that, O’Brien was a standout at Bucknell University for four years, leading the team in scoring for two consecutive seasons and earning All-Patriot League First Team honours in both 2021 and 2022. 

On joining the Rebels, Taylor O’Brien commented: 

“I am really happy to be back in the league and ready for the new challenges ahead this year. Excited to be a Rebel!”

Essex Rebels Women’s Head Coach Ashley Cookson commented on the new addition to the team: 

“Taylor proved her talent throughout the course of the 23-24 season with the Riders and I’m very happy to see her in a Rebels jersey for this season. An exceptional scoring talent with a competitive drive that will contribute towards our culture and compliment our group. Excited to see what the 24-25 season has in store for her in the Rebels uniform.”

Essex Rebels fans won’t have to wait long to see O’Brien in action. The team kicks off their 2024-25 campaign with an exciting local derby in the SLBW Trophy where Rebel face off against their East Anglian rivals, Ipswich Basketball, on Saturday 5th October for the Season Opener.  

Tickets for the Season Opener are now on sale. Secure your seats early for this not-to-be-missed local derby! 

Stay tuned for more player announcements as we count down to what promises to be an exciting start to the new SLBW season! #UpThe Rebs