The two-time WNBL grand final MVP has arrived back in Bendigo to prepare for her fourth season with the Spirit.

It will be her and teammates' first under new Spirit coach Simon Pritchard.

Griffin underwent arthroscopic surgery on her left hip in May after being injured in the Connecticut Suns' WNBA season opener against the Indiana Fever.

She collected eight points and five rebounds in 13 minutes before the injury.

Griffin said she was “further down” in her recovery than expected and was likely to play some minutes in the Spirit’s pre-season opener against the Melbourne Boomers this weekend in Ballarat

She will sit out the Spirit’s second encounter against the Perth Lynx.

Pritchard was all smiles yesterday when discussing Griffin’s rehabilitation, but insisted there was no rush to get her fit ahead of the Spirit’s season opener against the South East Queensland Stars next month.

“We don't want to push her at this stage of the season,” he said.

"These are not games that count for sheep stations, these are games to prepare us.

"Kelsey said to me is she wakes up after training Friday morning and says she is no good, ‘I need a break’, she won't play Saturday.

“We need her to be ready for South East Queensland on October 9.”

Griffin, a two-time champion with the Spirit, is just glad to be back in Bendigo.

The Alaskan native said despite spending time with family in Anchorage during her recovery, Bendigo was “home”.

"I love playing for Bendigo, this town has been so good to me,” Griffin said.

“The community has really got behind me - I'm so glad there is still a club I can play for here.

"I've built a life for myself here, and I’m thrilled to play for this town.”

Griffin, the club’s MVP last season, averaged 16 points and nine rebounds a game, as the Spirit fell just short of a third consecutive WNBL premiership.

She hopes to repay the club’s patience during her recovery with another stellar season.

After spending much time trying to curb Griffin’s influence in the past three seasons in his role as an assistant with the Canberra Capitals, Pritchard is glad to be on the same side as his 2015 All-Star Team selection.

“She’s nothing but trouble (for opposition teams),” Pritchard said.

"She's a hard match-up - she's very, very mobile, so there are not many athletes of her size and weight that can match it with her.

"Probably Steph Talbot and Rachel Jarry are the only players in the league who are of a similar athletic ability and size."