UConn Star Aubrey Griffin Drafted By WNBA Finalist

Aubrey Griffin's long, winding basketball journey has taken her from the UConn Huskies to the Minnesota Lynx.

Mar 5, 2023; Uncasville, CT, USA; UConn Huskies forward Aubrey Griffin (44) reacts after forward Dorka Juhasz (14) blocks the shot of the Marquette Golden Eagles in the second half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

A long and literally painful basketball journey has culminated in a call from the WNBA for former University of Connecticut star Aubrey Griffin.

Griffin heard her name called as the penultimate pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft on Monday night, as the Minnesota Lynx made her the 37th choice at The Shed at Hudson Yards. She was the last of three Huskies chosen in the WNBA rookie summit alongside fellow third-rounder Kaitlyn Chen (Golden State, 30th overall) and top choice Paige Bueckers.

A native of Ossining, NY, Griffin returned to the Empire State to be part of a large UConn contingent on hand to witness Bueckers join the Dallas Wings as the sixth historic Husky chosen to lead off the draft proceedings. However, both she and Chen heard their names called in the final stages, drawing further cheers from their fellow former Gamel Pavilion dwellers.

Injuries frequently ate away at Griffin's attempts to fulfill her All-American potential upon arriving in Storrs in 2019. The daughter of accomplished athletes (including her father Adrian, a nine-year NBA veteran), Griffin nonetheless offered inspiring glimpses, including a sterling showing during her third season in 2022-23.

In 35 appearance (including 30 starts), Griffin averaged a career-best 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds in her first year back from an injury-riddled junior campaign that kept her off the floor entirely. She led the Big East with a 59.6 success rate from two-point range, which helped her earn All-Big East team honorable mentions.

Griffin's most notable contributions to the Huskies' endless record book perhaps came in December 2022: as the Huskies held off a surprising non-conference challenge from Princeton (featuring future teammate and fellow draftee Chen), Griffin posted a 29-point, 10-rebound double-double. She was a perfect 11-of-11 from the field, tying Rebecca Lobo for a single-game UConn record for most consecutive field goals made.

Griffin faces an uphill battle to make the regular roster of the Lynx, who are fresh off a run to the final game of the WNBA Finals. Her continued perseverance has nonetheless been inspiring and she figures to get at least some time when the Lynx open their preseason slate on May 6 against the Chicago Sky.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags