Gregory Maxdier Vargas Díaz[1] (born 18 February 1986) is a Venezuelan professional basketball player who last played for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He was the Israeli Basketball Premier League Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017, and the Israeli Premier League Assists Leader in 2017 and 2020.
 Vargas with Maccabi Haifa in 2015 | |
| No. 5 – Gladiadores de Anzoátegui | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | Venezuelan SuperLiga |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 18 February 1986 Ocumare Del Tuy, Venezuela |
| Listed height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Listed weight | 91 kg (201 lb) |
| Career information | |
| NBA draft | 2008: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2004–present |
| Career history | |
| 2004 | Patriotas de Guarico |
| 2004–2005 | Pescadores de Cumana |
| 2005–2008 | Panteras de Miranda |
| 2006–2007 | Pescadores de Sucre |
| 2008–2016 | Marinos de Anzoátegui |
| 2008 | Centauros de Cojedes |
| 2008 | Petroleros de Falcon |
| 2008–2011 | Angeles de Puebla |
| 2009 | Piratas Saludcoop Bogota |
| 2009 | Lanceros de Cojedes |
| 2009 | Tiburones de Vargas |
| 2011 | Reales de La Vega |
| 2011–2012 | Halcones Rojos Veracruz |
| 2012–2013 | Halcones UV Xalapa |
| 2013 | Caquetíos de Falcón |
| 2014 | Brujos de Guayama |
| 2014 | Maratonistas de Coamo |
| 2014 | Protectores de Miranda |
| 2015–2016 | Maccabi Haifa |
| 2016 | SLUC Nancy |
| 2016–2017 | Maccabi Haifa |
| 2017–2018 | Baloncesto Fuenlabrada |
| 2018–2019 | Guaros de Lara |
| 2019–2020 | Maccabi Haifa |
| 2020–2021 | U-BT Cluj-Napoca |
| 2021 | Cocodrilos de Caracas |
| 2021–2022 | Hapoel Haifa |
| 2022–present | Gladiadores de Anzoátegui |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Medals | |
Professional career
editIn the 2015–16 season, Vargas averaged 13.9 points and 6.4 assists per game in the Israeli Premier League, with Maccabi Haifa.[2]
Vargas also played against the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies as a part of Maccabi Haifa, in an NBA preseason game.[3] He scored over 20 points in 8 games, and had 10 or more assists in 3 games as well, during the 2015–16 season.[4][5][6]
On 7 July 2016, Vargas signed with French club SLUC Nancy.[7] In November 2016, he left Nancy after appearing in eight games.[8]
On 17 December 2016, he returned to his former club Maccabi Haifa.,[9] During his season with the club he won Israeli Super League Defensive Player of the Year award and helped Haifa reaching the Israeli League Finals. He was the Israeli Basketball Premier League Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017. He was also the Israeli Premier League Assists Leader in 2017.
On 20 July 2017, Vargas signed with the Spanish club Baloncesto Fuenlabrada of the Liga ACB for the 2017–18 season.[10]
On 1 August 2019, Vargas returned to Maccabi Haifa for a third stint, signing a one-year deal.[11] On 3 February 2020, Vargas recorded a triple-double 16 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, leading Haifa to a 93–84 win over Hapoel Gilboa Galil. He was subsequently named Israeli League Round 18 MVP.[12] He was the Israeli Premier League Assists Leader in 2019–20.
On 2 July 2020, he signed with U-BT Cluj-Napoca of the Romanian Liga Națională.[13]
Vargas played with Cocodrilos de Caracas in the 2021 season of the Venezuelan SuperLiga and was named the league MVP after averaging 17.4 points and 7.7 assists for the team.[14]
National team career
editVargas is a member of the senior men's Venezuelan national basketball team. As a member of the team at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship,[15] he helped Venezuela to defeat Uruguay[16] and Canada to win the gold medal. That was Venezuela's first FIBA Americas Championship,[17] and allowed them to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where Vargas also played with Venezuela.[18]
Player profile
editVargas was described as a tough FIBA player, who could be a college basketball All-American, by ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla.[19]
Personal
editVargas' older brother José is also a professional basketball player. The two brothers have played together on the senior men's Venezuelan national team.
References
edit- ^ "ASISTENCIAS". lnbp.com.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ "Gregory Vargas profile – Game center – FIBA.com". Archived from the original on 25 December 2015.
- ^ Contributing Writer (11 October 2015). "Lakers Vs. Maccabi Hafia Preview: L.A. Looks To End Three Game Losing Streak". Lakers Nation.
- ^ "Gregory VARGAS | Season 2015/2016". Archived from the original on 18 August 2016.
- ^ "Mac Tel Aviv humiliated on the road by Mac Haifa". The Jerusalem Post – JPost.com. 7 February 2016.
- ^ "Greens grab dramatic victory over Ness Ziona". The Jerusalem Post – JPost.com. 23 February 2016.
- ^ "SLUC Nancy inks Gregory Vargas".
- ^ "Pro A : Gregory Vargas quitte Nancy". L'Équipe.
- ^ "Maccabi Haifa signs Gregory Vargas".
- ^ "Gregory Vargas signs with Fuenlabrada".
- ^ "הוא חוזר: גרגורי ורגאס שוב ירוק". basket.co.il (in Hebrew). 1 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
- ^ "מצטיין המחזור ה-18: גרגורי ורגאס". basket.co.il (in Hebrew). 4 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
- ^ "Gregory Vargas inks with Cluj". Sportando. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "Férrea lucha por el MVP de la Superliga 2021 – Triángulo Deportivo" (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "2016 Olympic Games: Tournament for Men – Vargas, Venezuela hope for another incredible summer – FIBA.com". FIBA.com. 7 February 2016. Archived from the original on 19 February 2016.
- ^ "FIBA Americas results and recap, featuring Jack Michael Martinez vs. Luis Scola". ProBasketballTalk. September 2013.
- ^ "Canadian Men's Basketball fails to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics". The Brock Press.
- ^ AP Member Choice Complete (11 September 2015). "John Calipari acknowledges former players as he enters Hall of Fame". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Baltimore Sun (23 July 2015). "Experience in Pan American games will help Melo Trimble, ESPN analyst says". baltimoresun.com.