Maryland Athletics 2022 Hall of Fame Spotlight: Greivis Vasquez

Few college players are as beloved by their school as Greivis Vasquez was during his four seasons as a Terp from 2007-2010.

Fans and students alike would chant his name at the top of their lungs. They’d go crazy in the stands when Vasquez would hit a big three and then follow it up with a shimmy in celebration. And now, Maryland fans will be able to celebrate Vasquez for as long as they want because his name is set to hang in the Hall of Fame forever. 

“This induction means a lot to me,” Vasquez said. “When I think back, my best four years, up to this point, were my years at Maryland. I gave the school everything I had and the school gave me a lot, too.”

“Being inducted into the Hall Of Fame is a privilege,” he added. “What an honor. My family is extremely proud, my whole country really looks up to all of this, and to me that’s what this is all about.”

Vasquez is a worthy inductee for much more than just his relationship with the fans. A 2010 All-American and a three-time All-ACC selection, he was an absolute star on the court. 

Vasquez finished his Maryland career first all-time in minutes played (4,569), second in points (2,171) and assists (772), and seventh in steals (191). He is just the third player in school history to surpass 2,100 points and the second to surpass 700 assists. 

“He’s deserving of this (induction) not just for what he did individually, but for the team and the entire basketball program at Maryland,” Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams said. “What made Greivis special was his ability to lift a team up to play better as a team.”

Vasquez also won the Bob Cousy award in 2010, the first player in Maryland history to win a national position player of the year award. 

For Williams, there is no one better to embody that prestigious award than Vasquez, who played with the same electricity and flashy flair that Cousy did. 

“That’s how Greivis played, he had moves that a lot of players didn’t have and he wasn’t afraid to do them in critical situations,” Williams said. “I think that’s kind of fitting he got the Bob Cousy award.”

Vasquez didn’t grow up immediately surrounded by basketball like many future stars do. Instead, he was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela—where baseball was the idolized sport. 

Vasquez gave baseball a try, but quickly found standing around in the outfield to be too boring for him and convinced his dad to let him switch to basketball. His dad was all about it, even taking him to some professional games in Venezuela. 

“I just fell in love with the game,” Vasquez said. “While my dad was hanging out with his friends, I had this little basket that I put on the wall to shoot and simulate professional players. Ever since then, I’m still in love with the game.”

Vasquez came over to the United States to attend high school at Montrose Christian in Rockville in September of 2004. There, he was coached by Stu Vetter, a legend in his own right, who Vasquez considers a stepfather. 

Shortly after Vasquez arrived in Maryland, Vetter pulled him aside and told him, in all seriousness, that he could make it to the NBA if he did what he was supposed to do. 

“That meeting was one of the most memorable times of my life,” Vasquez said. “He changed my life right there. I understood that if it was coming from him, with his credibility, I had a real chance. I never forgot that moment.”

Scouts were expected at Vasquez’s games, but not necessarily always for him. Vasquez was teammates with a fellow named Kevin Durant who had quite the media buzz around him. 

Still, plenty of scouts were interested in Vasquez, though there were some doubts about his speed and athleticism at the point guard position. 

For Williams, Vasquez’s love and passion for the game outweighed any concerns he had. 

“His wanting to practice everyday, his leadership ability, all those things aren’t really analytically measured, they’re just his heart,” Williams said. “Greivis gave his heart to the University of Maryland.”

At Maryland, Vasquez proved he was more than capable of competing against the top ACC guards, leading Maryland to the 2010 ACC regular season championship. He was also one of just 15 players in Maryland men’s basketball history to earn three all-conference selections. 

“His whole mindset was winning,” Vazquez’s former teammate Eric Hayes said. “Anything that needed to be done, he would do and he could do. He made things a lot easier for everyone. He made people around him better and he had the talent and skill to carry the team when he needed to.”

For Vasquez, all of his success was a direct result of his strong work ethic.

“I was just a kid from Caracas that wanted to work hard for myself on and off the court. It comes from hard work and being disciplined. If you don’t have any type of discipline, you won’t be able to make it and I think that’s what separates the good from the great.”

Vasquez played with lots of flash and flair, but he never lost sight of the importance of hustle and grit. In his eyes, he absolutely couldn’t—he was playing for much more than just himself. 

“I played every game like it was the last night of my life,” Vasquez said. “I was playing for my life, I was playing for my school, and I was playing for my country.”

“To me, coming from another country, having an opportunity to represent the university was a tremendous chance and I took it to heart,” he added. “The school gave me an opportunity to become who I am now, to build that character, and to have a platform to reach my goals. I wanted to try to repay some of that back by doing whatever it took on the court.”

Maryland fans were certainly drawn towards that heart and hustle, but where Vasquez really connected with the fans was in his interactions with them, especially the students. 

“He never separated himself or thought he was special because he was a good basketball player,” Williams said. “The students felt that he was one of them. To show the emotion he did, to show much he cared, that went right to the student body and they would give it back in turn, which helped us win games. That was the bottom line with Greivis; he would do whatever he could to help us win games.”

“His connection with the fans is maybe the strongest of any player that’s played at Maryland just based on how he played and how passionate he was about Maryland,” Hayes added.

Those interactions weren't forced either; Vasquez truly enjoyed his encounters with the student body. 

“The best feeling after these big, nationally-televised wins was just walking around campus and embracing the students,” Vasquez said. “Even after tough games, they were there to embrace me. I always tell student-athletes, don’t just be in your dorm room thinking you’re too cool. I took full advantage; I never took a day at Maryland for granted. It makes me proud because you can’t waste time at school. It goes by too fast; you have to enjoy every minute of it.”

Vasquez played four seasons for the Terps and ultimately graduated with a degree in American studies. For him, someone who entered the country just eight years prior without speaking English, that accomplishment is up there with some of his best basketball ones.

“I came to this country and couldn’t speak English at first, but I ended up with a high school and college degree. It shows that anyone can do it. Things can happen when you actually work hard and stay the course.”

In 2010, Vasquez was selected with the 28th overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He spent seven successful seasons in the NBA with multiple teams before injuries eventually derailed his career. 

Vasquez attributes his professional triumphs to his willingness to do whatever was asked of him, even if it was a far cry from the stardom he was used to at Maryland.

“I knew how to do my job,” he said. “I didn’t want to be anyone else but myself. Eighty percent of the NBA is role players. Some people don’t embrace that but I always did.”

Vasquez did some coaching at the G-League level, but is currently on hiatus from that in order to spend more time with his family. With Kevin Willard now at the helm of Maryland men’s basketball, Vasquez is eager to spend more time around the program, most recently coming to College Park in early August. 

Why is that important to Vasquez? For him, the answer is simple.

“My DNA is Maryland,” Vasquez said. “I’m a Terrapin and that will be forever. If I ever could do a live tattoo inside of my heart, it would be a UMD logo. That’s how much I love my school.”

And it’s for that reason that Vasquez will always treasure his upcoming induction into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame. 

“I just feel so proud. What a tremendous accomplishment. Money and fame could never buy this feeling right now. I’m just thankful.”