Former UConn standout Aubrey Griffin makes WNBA debut

NEW YORK — Aubrey Griffin sat on a stool within the bowels of Barclays Center, grinning ear-to-ear.

Six days earlier, she’d been reduce from the primary WNBA workforce that gave her an opportunity. Now, lower than every week later, she’d been given a second probability – this time by her home-state workforce.

“It means a lot. I mean, this whole thing, just, I’m grateful for the opportunity,” stated Griffin Friday night. “I’m grateful to be here and given the chance to play out there. I’m happy.”

The former UConn women’s basketball standout made her WNBA debut Friday evening within the New York Liberty’s season-opening win over the Connecticut Sun in Brooklyn. While she solely received in for the sport’s closing 5 minutes, Griffin is anticipated to stay with the Liberty for at the least the next week, per the phrases of her hardship contract with the franchise.

Griffin, from Ossining, NY, understands her time with the Liberty may not be long, but after spending the past year recovering from knee surgery, all that matters to her is being healthy enough to once again play the sport she loves most.

“Just given what I’ve been by; I’ve needed to battle by a whole lot of adversity the final yr, and simply with the ability to get this chance is simply, I’m tremendous grateful for it,” Griffin stated.

Griffin was drafted in the third round of last year’s draft by Minnesota. The Lynx understood drafting the former Husky was an investment, as she needed arthroscopic knee surgery less than a month after joining the franchise.

While the guard/forward combo helped lead the Huskies to the 2025 national championship, she wasn’t fully healthy and still suffering lingering issues from her January 2024 ACL injury.

Griffin knew she had to get her body right if she wanted a chance to achieve her dream of playing in the WNBA. She spent all last season recovering and utilizing Minnesota’s resources for her rehabilitation work. During the winter, she continued to work hard to get back in shape and split her time between Storrs and New York to get in extra workouts. Griffin said she spent time at UConn before training camp this spring playing in pick-up games. She said that it wasn’t until this past February that she felt 100% healthy.

She impressed in Minnesota’s first preseason game during training camp last month by finishing with six points, two rebounds, one block and one steal in 15 minutes against Washington. Yet, she didn’t compare to the Lynx’s depth and was ultimately waived. While getting cut was disappointing, Griffin was simply happy to have finally gotten back on the court.

“I imply, to start with, I received to play. I received to apply (for the primary time in) a very long time, and that is the healthiest I’ve ever felt and been,” she said. “I’m grateful for the expertise they gave me and the chance. … I imply, it felt good. I simply missed being on the market and simply enjoying ball, like, I like it. So, I used to be simply glad to be on the market.”

Griffin said she was up in Storrs, working out at UConn’s campus this week, when her agent reached out and said New York was interested in signing her to a hardship contract. She drove back down into the city Thursday night and joined the team officially Friday morning.

“I mean, it’s been a crazy past 24 hours,” said Griffin, laughing at the whirlwind of it all.

It was a full-circle moment for Griffin, who watched her second-ever WNBA game as a fan at a New York Liberty game. Despite the short notice, Griffin said she had a handful of family and friends get tickets to Friday’s game, including her mom and stepdad.

Griffin said fellow Husky and Liberty great Breanna Stewart welcomed her to the team Friday morning with a huge hug. Since it was too short notice to teach Griffin the team’s system, Griffin said her new teammates encouraged her to trust her instincts and “don’t overthink it” if she got time in the game.

“She’s been very useful, truly, like, simply earlier at shoot-around she was saying, like, what to do, the place to go,” said Griffin of Stewart. “…I really feel like I’ve at all times seemed as much as her since she went to UConn, and similar to after they received these back-to-back-to-backs. I’m very accustomed to her and her recreation, and what she’s completed, like, it is wonderful.”

Griffin checked into Friday’s game with five minutes remaining and New York up 91-66. The former Husky checked into the game for Stewart (game-high 31 points and 10 rebounds). The two hugged briefly at halfcourt before joining the Liberty’s huddle for a timeout.

Griffin sprinted up and down the floor freely. She was aggressive, but smart with her movements and didn’t show any hesitation in her first game as a professional. With 36 seconds left, she got the ball on the wing and made her move, driving effortlessly into the lane. She weaved around a Sun defender and threw up the layup for the first pro-bucket of her career.

“I’ve been working for this, like, my complete profession, so I’ll positively reap the benefits of the chance,” Griffin said. “…I’ve been by accidents and stuff. So, for me to nonetheless be right here, I need different ladies to look as much as me and be like, ‘I can nonetheless do it, even when I do get harm or face any form of adversity.'”

When Griffin’s hardship contract expires subsequent Friday, New York may have the choice to resume her for a second week if the workforce remains to be beneath the league minimal of 10 out there gamers.