Greivis Vasquez Ready to Breakout?
He was a prolific college player- the ACC Player of the Year in 2010 and accumulating 2,171 career points (16.0 per game), 5.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game and despite his size at 6'6", Vasquez fell to the bottom of the first round in 2010 due to limited athleticism and length. As the primary backcourt for the Grizzlies, Vasquez garnered limited minutes and scored double-figures just five times during the regular-season, but did so twice in the 2010-11 postseason. Behind the frontcourt trio of Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay, Memphis appears ready to join the Western Conference's elite, and with a strong season from Vasquez, he could help push that team in the direction.
In the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship, Vasquez paced the group in scoring (19.4 points) and assists (6.4), while also recording almost 5 boards per game. Vasquez's breakout factor has been his perimeter shooting; he has connected on only 42 percent of his 2-point field goal attempts, but is 19-37 from behind the 3-point arc (51.4 percent) in Venezuela's seven games. His field-goal percentage is on par for his career numbers, but his distance shooting is way up as he was a career- 32.9 percent shooter in college and 29.1 percent in his rookie season with the Grizzlies.
Vasquez's biggest weakness, which may cause him from earning enough minutes to impact, is his glaring turnover woes; he averaged 3.3 a game over his four-year career and 1.0 turnover per game in just 12 minutes of action last season and 3.9 per game in the FIBA Americas Championships as well.
By President Corey Ruff - 9 - 10 - 11
