Former Southern Illinois forward signed a contract to play professional basketball in Finland earlier this week. A 2017 Second-Team All-Conference player, O’Brien finished his career No. 25 in scoring (1,244), No. 8 in rebounds (805), No. 12 in blocked shots (71), No. 20 in assists (244) and No. 4 in games started (122) at SIU.

The Mundelein, Illinois native took a break from training to discuss the start of his pro career.

How did you wind up signing a pro contract to play in Finland?
I signed with an agent named Benjamin Stebick. We looked at a lot of options and the best were Swtizerland or Finland. I chose Finland because it’s a little more prominent and well-respected league, and I thought it was the best place to start. It’s a good place for rookies to start.

How many American players are on the team?
Typically, they have four Americans — that’s what they had on last year’s roster. As of right now, they’ve only signed two — myself and Chaz Williams who played at Mass. He’s 26 and has played in Europe. Last season he played in Switzerland.

Have you talked to anyone who has played in Europe about their experiences?
I talked to Anthony (Beane) and picked his brain. I asked him random questions — what’s a weekly routine like? What should I expect on and off the court, what are some tips, what do I do about a phone plan? I asked how his first year went and how he enjoyed it. I’ve also worked out with Drew Crawford, who played at Northwestern, and Brandon Paul of Illinois. They’re in a very high league in Europe and are way ahead in their careers. I’m starting at a different level. I picked their brains about what to expect and how they prepare themselves.

What’s the biggest thing you learned from talking to those guys?
That I need to show up prepared, show up in shape, because they will test you right away. As soon as you get there, you have to be ready to go, or you can quickly fall on the depth chart. They also told me most teams sign Americans and expect them to have a big impact on the team right away and put up numbers right away. I need to be aggressive.

Do you know what style of play to expect from this team (Korihait)?
Not exactly. I looked at their numbers from last year and there wasn’t one guy who averaged a ton of points. They all averaged 9-11 points. European basketball is a lot more team-oriented, the spacing is a little better, they move the ball better. That should play into my hands, because I’m pretty good at moving without the ball and sharing the ball.

What kind of training have you done since the season ended in March?
I’ve been working out with three different people. When (John) Clancy is home I’ve worked with him. He set me up with a strength coach. Most of the summer I’ve worked with my high school coach Fidel Garcia. I’ve also been very lucky to work with Jeff Pagliocca, who has trained pros for many years. I worked out with him a couple times a week when the rookies were going through pre-draft and he has helped my game tremendously.

Have you had a chance to relax or take a vacation?
I took a couple months off after the season and went through cryotherapy for my knees. I was a little behind the curve after that, so I haven’t had the luxury to take time off during the summer. Monday through Saturday, I’m on the go, training or playing in men’s leagues. I usually take Sundays off.

What do you know about Finland — things like language, climate, things to do?
The language is Finnish and I’m told it’s one of the most difficult languages to learn. Finnish people are some of the better English-speaking people in Europe, though. The town I’ll be in is Uusikaupunki, which has a population of about 20,000 on the southwest side of Finland. It’s pretty cold all year round, but when I’m there from September to March, it will be in the 20s to 40s. It won’t get much lower than teens during the winter months. It’s very dark for long periods of time, though. During December, the sun rises at 10 a.m. and sets at 4, so there are only six hours of daylight.

How does it feel to be a professional athlete?
It’s surreal and I don’t know how to put it into words. I’ve always dreamed of doing this, but I didn’t know if it would happen. It’s exciting, overwhelming with all the little details. I’ve always wanted to travel. How cool is it that I get to play basketball for my job! Nothing against office jobs, I’m not ready for that. It’s something I want to do as long as I can and as long as my body holds up. It’s just the beginning. There’s a ton of work that needs to be done to be successful.