Rachel Banham's first WNBA season ended after 15 games when she could no longer play through the pain in her right knee.

The former Gophers All-America guard and fourth overall pick by the Connecticut Sun in the 2016 WNBA draft required surgery to repair a microfracture. Rehabilitation for the procedure is usually between four and six months.

Four months have passed since the surgery and Banham is able to run, jump and cut again, while rehabbing at her alma mater in Minneapolis. The Sun caught up with Banham this week for an update on her progress.

"I do [rehab] twice a week. It's going super well. We're doing running, cutting, jumping, everything. That's really exciting for me," Banham said. "I've been lifting and doing court stuff at the U every day. It's been good.

"I don't want to rush it. I want to do so much more and go so much harder, but I also have to be smart. It's been really hard to be patient."

JASON GONZALEZ