Greivis Vasquez
Encyclopedia
Greivis Vásquez is a Venezuela
n basketball
player with the Memphis Grizzlies
, who selected him in the first round (28th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft
. He was chosen after a stellar U.S. college
career with the University of Maryland
men's basketball team
. Vásquez finished second on the Terrapins' all-time scoring list, with 2,171 career points.
He was born in Caracas
and moved to the United States to attend high school at Montrose Christian School
in Rockville, Maryland
in 2004. During his senior year at Montrose, he committed to the University of Maryland to play under head coach Gary Williams
.
In 2007, Vásquez played on the Venezuelan national basketball team
in the FIBA America Championships. In his final college season of 2009–10
, he was one of three Venezuelans playing in NCAA Division I men's basketball, with the others being David Cubillan
of the Marquette Golden Eagles
and Gregory Echenique of the Creighton Bluejays
.
, Venezuela, where he lived with his parents, Ivis Rodriguez and Gregorio Vásquez, and brother, Ingerman Sanoya. At Montrose Christian, Vásquez played under head coach Stu Vetter, and helped the Mustangs post a 43–5 record over his junior and senior seasons. While at Montrose Christian he played with future college and NBA star Kevin Durant
.
position. He remained a starter for the rest of the season. He heavily contributed to the Terrapins' six-game winning streak at the end of the season, giving Maryland a #4 seed in the NCAA Tournament
. Vásquez averaged 9.8 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game during his freshman season, and shooting percentages of 44.4 for field goals, 31.6 for three-pointers and 79.8 for free throws.
. At the end of his junior year, Vásquez ranked seventh in scoring, third in free throw percentage (.867), third in assists per game, third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.80) and fifth in minutes per game in the ACC. He reached double figures in scoring in 57 of his last 61 games, including each of his last 17. In Maryland's final ten games, he recorded five 20-point games. Vásquez was named to the All-ACC second team at the close of the regular season.
After the season, Vásquez participated in NBA workouts, where he received mostly positive feedback from professional scouts. He twice met with coach Gary Williams and his Montrose Christian coach, Stu Vetter, to discuss his future. Three hours before the deadline, Vásquez withdrew his name from the NBA Draft
in order to return to Maryland for his senior season. Williams said, "He talked to about 14 or 15 teams and really got a good feel for his situation. I think he's made a great move. He returns as possibly the best guard in the ACC and one of the best guards in the country."
given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation's best collegiate point guard, for which he edged out Sherron Collins
(Kansas), Scottie Reynolds
(Villanova), Jon Scheyer
(Duke), Evan Turner
(Ohio State) and John Wall
(Kentucky).
Against Georgia Tech
on February 20, 2010, Vásquez scored the 2,000th point of his collegiate career, making him the only player in ACC history to compile at least 2,000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds. The following week, Vásquez set a new career scoring high with 41 points in the Terrapins' double-overtime victory at Virginia Tech
. Vásquez also scored 20 points in Maryland's home win over Duke
on Senior Night, and made several critical baskets and assists in the final minutes to secure a victory. Vazquez helped lead Maryland to a 13–3 conference record to tie Duke for the regular season ACC championship. He was named a unanimous first-team All-ACC selection on March 8, 2010, and the ACC Player of the Year on March 9, 2010, beating out Duke's Jon Scheyer
and Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney
. Vásquez also won three ACC Player of the Week honors in his final season, which brought his career total to seven. Vásquez was named a consensus second-team All-American
.
selected Vásquez with the 28th pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft
. Throughout the regular season of his rookie year, Vásquez received spot minutes and scored in double digits only twice, but he gained extensive playing time in the 2011 NBA Playoffs
.
Memphis faced the No. 1-seeded San Antonio Spurs
in the first round, where the Grizzlies won their first postseason game in franchise history. In Game Four, Vásquez substituted for starting point guard Mike Conley
, who had gotten into foul trouble. Vásquez sparked a 7–0 scoring run to help take control of the game. During his 13 minutes of playing time, he had nine points and two assists as Memphis won, 104–86. The eighth-seeded Grizzlies clinched the series in Game Six, where Vásquez played 23 minutes and had 11 points and a highlight-reel assist to Darrell Arthur
. Memphis advanced to meet the No. 4-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder
in the Conference Semifinals, where Vásquez faced off with his former Montrose Christian classmate, Kevin Durant
.
In the 2011 offseason, Vásquez took part in a United States State Department sponsored trip to his native Venezuela to hold clinics and meet with sports officials.
| align="left" | 2010–11
| align="left" | Memphis
| 70 || 1 || 12.3 || .408 || .291 || .733 || 1.0 || 2.2 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 3.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 70 || 1 || 12.3 || .408 || .291 || .733 || 1.0 || 2.2 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 3.6
| align="left" | 2011
| align="left" | Memphis
| 13 || 0 || 10.9 || .512 || .364 || .769 || 1.5 || 1.9 || 0.4 || .2 || 4.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 13 || 0 || 10.9 || .512 || .364 || .769 || 1.5 || 1.9 || 0.4 || .2 || 4.3
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player with the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, who selected him in the first round (28th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
. He was chosen after a stellar U.S. college
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
career with the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
men's basketball team
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
. Vásquez finished second on the Terrapins' all-time scoring list, with 2,171 career points.
He was born in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
and moved to the United States to attend high school at Montrose Christian School
Montrose Christian School
Montrose Christian School is a K-12 private school in Rockville, Maryland, operated by the Montrose Baptist Church, Maryland's second largest Southern Baptist church. It educates around 370 students...
in Rockville, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
in 2004. During his senior year at Montrose, he committed to the University of Maryland to play under head coach Gary Williams
Gary Williams
Gary B. Williams is an American university administrator and former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Ohio State University, Boston College, and American University. In 2002, he led Maryland to the NCAA Tournament Championship...
.
In 2007, Vásquez played on the Venezuelan national basketball team
Venezuela national basketball team
The Venezuela men's national basketball team represents the Venezuela Basketball Federation in international competitions such as the International Basketball Federation , the International Olympic Committee , the World Championship, the South American Basketball Championship, the Pan American...
in the FIBA America Championships. In his final college season of 2009–10
2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2009, and ended with the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 5, 2010 on the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The opening round occurred on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, followed by first...
, he was one of three Venezuelans playing in NCAA Division I men's basketball, with the others being David Cubillan
David Cubillan
David Cubillan is a Venezuelan college basketball player who currently plays for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He has long been a key part of Marquette's bench play.-College career:...
of the Marquette Golden Eagles
Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball
The Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represents Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school's 1977 team, coached by Al McGuire, won the NCAA championship. Currently the team competes in the Big East Conference. It last played in the NCAA Division I...
and Gregory Echenique of the Creighton Bluejays
Creighton Bluejays men's basketball
The Creighton Bluejays basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007...
.
Early life
Vásquez grew up in CaracasCaracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Venezuela, where he lived with his parents, Ivis Rodriguez and Gregorio Vásquez, and brother, Ingerman Sanoya. At Montrose Christian, Vásquez played under head coach Stu Vetter, and helped the Mustangs post a 43–5 record over his junior and senior seasons. While at Montrose Christian he played with future college and NBA star Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
.
Freshman year (2006–07)
In the beginning of his freshman year (2006–07), Vásquez did not start for the Terps, but still played solid minutes. Midway through the season, he began starting at the 2 guard position, alongside fellow freshman Eric Hayes at the starting point guardPoint guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position. He remained a starter for the rest of the season. He heavily contributed to the Terrapins' six-game winning streak at the end of the season, giving Maryland a #4 seed in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. Vásquez averaged 9.8 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game during his freshman season, and shooting percentages of 44.4 for field goals, 31.6 for three-pointers and 79.8 for free throws.
Sophomore year (2007–08)
Vásquez had per-game averages of 17 points, 6.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds, and shooting percentages of 43.2 for field goals, 30.9 for three-pointers and 78.2 for free throws.Junior year (2008–09)
As a junior, Vásquez led the Terrapins in scoring (17.5), rebounds (5.4), assists (5.0), steals (1.40), and minutes (34.6) per game. He became the first Terrapin basketball player to ever lead the team in points, rebounds and assists in a single season, and only the sixth to accomplish that task in the ACC. On February 21, 2009, Vásquez registered a then career-high 35 points, and 11 rebounds and 10 assists—Maryland's third triple-double in history and the first since 1987—in a come-from-behind 88–85 overtime win over North CarolinaNorth Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
. At the end of his junior year, Vásquez ranked seventh in scoring, third in free throw percentage (.867), third in assists per game, third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.80) and fifth in minutes per game in the ACC. He reached double figures in scoring in 57 of his last 61 games, including each of his last 17. In Maryland's final ten games, he recorded five 20-point games. Vásquez was named to the All-ACC second team at the close of the regular season.
After the season, Vásquez participated in NBA workouts, where he received mostly positive feedback from professional scouts. He twice met with coach Gary Williams and his Montrose Christian coach, Stu Vetter, to discuss his future. Three hours before the deadline, Vásquez withdrew his name from the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
in order to return to Maryland for his senior season. Williams said, "He talked to about 14 or 15 teams and really got a good feel for his situation. I think he's made a great move. He returns as possibly the best guard in the ACC and one of the best guards in the country."
Senior year (2009–10)
As a senior, Vásquez averaged 19.6 points, 6.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game over 33 games. Vásquez is the only player in the country to average more than 18 points and 6 assists per game. His honors included the 2010 Bob Cousy AwardBob Cousy Award
The Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate point guard. It is named after six-time National Basketball Association champion Bob Cousy, who played point guard for the Boston Celtics...
given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation's best collegiate point guard, for which he edged out Sherron Collins
Sherron Collins
Sherron Marlon Collins is an American professional basketball player who plays for Hacettepe Üniversitesi, in the Turkish Basketball League. He formerly played for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. He has also played for Lietuvos Rytas, Maine Red Claws and Quebradillas...
(Kansas), Scottie Reynolds
Scottie Reynolds
Scottie Reynolds is an American professional basketball player who will play for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association. The Huntsville, Alabama native played for Villanova University in the Big East Conference of the NCAA...
(Villanova), Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
(Duke), Evan Turner
Evan Turner
Evan Marcel Turner , nicknamed The Villain, is an American basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers. Turner was drafted 2nd overall by the 76ers in the 2010 NBA draft. Turner plays the point guard, shooting guard and small forward positions. Turner is a first-team 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball...
(Ohio State) and John Wall
John Wall (basketball)
Johnathan Hildred Wall, Jr. is an American basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Wall was chosen first overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards...
(Kentucky).
Against Georgia Tech
2009–10 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team represented Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–10 college basketball season. This was Paul Hewitt's tenth season as head coach. The Yellow Jackets compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and played their home games at...
on February 20, 2010, Vásquez scored the 2,000th point of his collegiate career, making him the only player in ACC history to compile at least 2,000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds. The following week, Vásquez set a new career scoring high with 41 points in the Terrapins' double-overtime victory at Virginia Tech
2009–10 Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team represented the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the 2009–2010 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Hokies were coached by Seth Greenberg and played their home games at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, VA. The Hokies are...
. Vásquez also scored 20 points in Maryland's home win over Duke
2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils won the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, claiming the school's fourth national title.Duke led...
on Senior Night, and made several critical baskets and assists in the final minutes to secure a victory. Vazquez helped lead Maryland to a 13–3 conference record to tie Duke for the regular season ACC championship. He was named a unanimous first-team All-ACC selection on March 8, 2010, and the ACC Player of the Year on March 9, 2010, beating out Duke's Jon Scheyer
Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer is an American-Israeli professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague...
and Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney
Malcolm Delaney
Malcolm Hakeem Delaney is an American college basketball player for the Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team. He is from Baltimore, Maryland and attended Towson Catholic High School.-Early life:...
. Vásquez also won three ACC Player of the Week honors in his final season, which brought his career total to seven. Vásquez was named a consensus second-team All-American
2010 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
An All-American team is an honorary sports team composed of the best amateur players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not...
.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis GrizzliesMemphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
selected Vásquez with the 28th pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
. Throughout the regular season of his rookie year, Vásquez received spot minutes and scored in double digits only twice, but he gained extensive playing time in the 2011 NBA Playoffs
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
.
Memphis faced the No. 1-seeded San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the first round, where the Grizzlies won their first postseason game in franchise history. In Game Four, Vásquez substituted for starting point guard Mike Conley
Mike Conley, Jr.
Michael Alex "Mike" Conley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association.Conley is the son of Olympic gold and silver medalist triple jumper Mike Conley, Sr...
, who had gotten into foul trouble. Vásquez sparked a 7–0 scoring run to help take control of the game. During his 13 minutes of playing time, he had nine points and two assists as Memphis won, 104–86. The eighth-seeded Grizzlies clinched the series in Game Six, where Vásquez played 23 minutes and had 11 points and a highlight-reel assist to Darrell Arthur
Darrell Arthur
Darrell Antwonne Arthur is 6'9", American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He plays the power forward and small forward positions. Arthur played for the University of Kansas in college for two seasons, including the 2007–2008 national championship team...
. Memphis advanced to meet the No. 4-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
in the Conference Semifinals, where Vásquez faced off with his former Montrose Christian classmate, Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
.
In the 2011 offseason, Vásquez took part in a United States State Department sponsored trip to his native Venezuela to hold clinics and meet with sports officials.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
| align="left" | Memphis
| 70 || 1 || 12.3 || .408 || .291 || .733 || 1.0 || 2.2 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 3.6
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 70 || 1 || 12.3 || .408 || .291 || .733 || 1.0 || 2.2 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 3.6
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 2011
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
| align="left" | Memphis
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
| 13 || 0 || 10.9 || .512 || .364 || .769 || 1.5 || 1.9 || 0.4 || .2 || 4.3
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 13 || 0 || 10.9 || .512 || .364 || .769 || 1.5 || 1.9 || 0.4 || .2 || 4.3