Winning an NCAA Tournament before you get drafted into the league is everybody’s dream. The ecstatic feeling was shared by three draftees from UConn. “This year I’ve been through a lot physically and mentally, and just to be present in this moment, I’m so grateful and just blessed. I’m so excited I got to share the moment with Kaitlyn and Paige, and I’m just super happy to be here.” Aubrey said. But as Paige and Kaitlyn are set to compete for a spot on their rosters, ghosts if her past have followed Aubrey all the way to the WNBA.

After being left off the training camp roster, Maggie Vanoni of the UConn Hoops reported today that Griffin will undergo arthroscopic surgery on her left knee with the Mayo Clinic on the 1st of May. A timetable for her return has not been set yet.

Griffin has faced several injury setbacks during her collegiate career. Most notably, she suffered a torn ACL in the same left knee in January 2024, which ended her season. She returned from that injury at the turn of the year, and it looks like another such setback is in store. Not many, including Aubrey herself, thought she’d hear her name get called in this month’s WNBA Draft in New York. Her six-year collegiate career repeatedly took hits due to injuries, and so did her body. Griffin returned midway through the 2024-25 season but never quite got back to her former self. While she was part of the team that made a deep run in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, her playing time was limited as she continued to recover and regain full strength. She provided valuable minutes off the bench but was not a primary starter or playing her usual minutes during March Madness.

Unlike Bueckers, Griffin wasn’t going to be a shoe-in at the draft. But the Lynx took a chance on her. The franchise knew she’s not back to fitness but still recognized the talent that has been plagued by Griffin’s injury history. Speaking on what Aubrey brings to the team, Coach Reeves said, “Aubrey is a versatile athlete who defends, rebounds, runs the floor, is a willing cutter and efficient scorer,” Reeve said. “As a member of four Final Four teams, Aubrey understands what it takes to win.” While the aforementioned qualities would be apreciated by any coach, Aubrey’s biggest strength is her resilience in face of adversity. 

“She never lost hope. She never lost focus,” says Ricci, Aubrey’s coach at Ossining High, New York. “She was always a positive person to begin with, but she really showed that in the way she stuck it out. It was just incredible to me. A lot of kids would have given up.” Ricci knows just how much the former UConn Husky has endured over the past six years in Storrs and throughout her high school career. This is not Griffin’s first bout with injuries, She has dealt with two ACL injuries and a season-ending back surgery in the past.

While any injury is a horror for the athlete, especially at such a nascent stage of their career. Advancements in sports science make it possible for the players to recover faster and minimize risks in the future. One such route is provided by minimally invasive surgeries.

Moving away from traditional, time consuming surgeries

Griffin’s name adds to the list of stars who have sustained major injuries to their knees in college. Fellow Husky Paige Bueckers, Juju Watkins and if we go further down memory lane, Sue Bird. During UConn’s 2024 NCAA Tournament run that was marred by injuries, Geno Auriemma expressed his frustration with the insufficient rehab and training some high school players undergo. Which results in them becoming injury prone heading into college and their professional careers.

“We do more testing now of those kids coming out of high school, so we know more now before they get here. But all that does is tell us what we have to work on. A lot of the issues these kids have, when they have issues in high school, they’re not addressed the way they need to be addressed.” Auriemma shared that while UConn has ramped up testing and monitoring, these measures fall short of fixing ingrained issues. Griffin’s injuries also originated during her time in high school and serves as caution to the top prospects across high school.

While traditional surgeries were the norm earlier, modern day athletes have developed a liking of minimally-invasive surgeries such as a microscopic surgery. These surgeries in sports have proven to be a more effective and safer alternative to traditional open surgeries. Reduced pain, faster recovery and lower risk of complications make this a no brainer for the players. These advantages stem from the use of smaller incisions and advanced imaging techniques, allowing surgeons to perform procedures with greater precision and less trauma to surrounding tissues.

L.A. Sparks star Cameron Brink underwent a similar microscopic surgery by Dr. Ramkumar when she suffered an ACL tear during a game against the Connecticut Sun in June 2024. While it is unclear at the time the kind of surgery Aubrey would be requiring, if it is similar to Brink’s ACL reconstruction she would be out for about 9 months and end up missing her entire rookie season. The future might appear bleak but Griffin has never been one to back down. “Every time she’s on the court, she’s gonna give it everything she’s got, every time she’s at rehab, she’s gonna give it everything she’s got. It’s in her blood, from her family, that she’s gonna rise to the occasion and she’s gonna show the whole world what we already know.” her coach, Ricci said. The Lynx have placed a low-risk bet on Griffin which has the potential to bring high rewards in the future.