To fully understand where Greivis Vasquez is in what is now a five-year NBA career, one should look past the nightly stat sheet for the Toronto Raptors and listen to the words coming out of his mouth or watch the body language of the former Maryland star when he's on the court.
Playing behind All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry and high-scoring shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, and seeing his role as the team's top backcourt reserve changed by the arrival this season of high-volume shooter Lou Williams, Vasquez is making the transition from college star to solid NBA veteran.
"He has his own style of play, but it's what you want on a team with a guy who works hard," power forward Amir Johnson, a 10-year veteran himself, said Friday before the Raptors played the Washington Wizards in Game 3 of their opening playoff series. "He's definitely grown as a player. He's going to be in the league for a long time."
Finishing the first year of a two-year, $8 million contract, Vasquez said that he has accepted his role — including playing just 17 minutes in Game 3 as the Wizards opened a 3-0 lead in the series that continues Sunday at Verizon Center — yet his competitive nature bubbles to the surface.
"At this point, I still want to get a shot [at starting]," said Vasquez, who started 29 games this season, helping the Raptors to a 17-12 record when DeRozan and Lowry missed time with injuries. "If you look at my record here, when I started here ... it's a good record."
When Williams joined the mix this season after a trade from the Atlanta Hawks, it changed Vasquez's role. Suddenly, Williams became the team's sixth man, and played the part well enough to be recently named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year for averaging 15.5 points per game off the bench.
Since being traded by the New Orleans Hornets to the Sacramento Kings after his most productive season — averaging 13.9 points and nine assists in 2012-13— and eventually to the Raptors late last season, Vasquez's numbers have remained close to his career averages of 9.2 points and 4.9 assists.
"This is a winning team, and I'm playing 25 minutes a game, that's important," said Vasquez. "You're playing half of the minutes of a game and you're playing with great players, with two All-Stars and a sixth man [of the year]. That says a lot. I feel like Maryland did a great job of preparing for this league."
Asked if this season has been different for him, Vasquez said, "It has. A lot of ups and downs. I want a little bit more [playing time]. When they give me the minutes, I have proven I can play in this league. I'm one of those guys who has to prove it every year, every game.
"If that's what takes for me to stay in this league — seven more years — like Steve Blake does, then why not? This is the best league in the world. You've just got to stay healthy. I feel like this is a great fit. We've got good players, we're in the playoffs for the second straight time. That's important for my career."
Hall of Fame Maryland coach Gary Williams, who was at Verizon Center Friday doing post-game analysis for Comcast, said he sees similarities between what Vasquez is doing to what other former Terps did in sustaining long and productive NBA careers.
"He's learned how to play the pro game, just like you have to do in college," Williams said Saturday. "Greivis doesn't have to take a back seat to anybody in terms of knowing how to play, and that's always helpful. He reminds me a lot of Steve Blake.
"I looked at the guys I coached. Tony Massenburg played 16 years, Joe Smith played something like 16-17 years, Walt Williams over 10, Steve Blake is still playing. Those guys had the ability to really help the team regardless if it was coming off the bench or as a starter."
In what has been a disappointing postseason for Toronto, Vasquez had the team's lone highlight. After helping the Raptors erase a 15-point deficit in Game 1, Vasquez hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 25 seconds left. As the Air Canada Centre roared, Vasquez responded with his once-trademark, shoulder-rolling shimmy.
Or, as Vasquez, the second player from Venezuela to make the NBA, called it "a chimmy."
"Doing my chimmy, I wanted to win more than doing that," Vasquez said, referring to the 93-86 overtime defeat that set the tone for the so far one-sided series.
The shot and celebration brought back memories of what Vasquez often did at Maryland.
Vasquez had a triple-double of 35 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over No. 3 North Carolina as a junior, made a huge running bank in the final minute to help the No 23 Terps beat No. 4 Duke as a senior and share the Atlantic Coast Conference title and then nearly carried his team to a Sweet 16 with a scintillating 26-point, nine-assist performance against Michigan State in his final college game.
"That's why I 'm still in this league, I'm not afraid of the moment," said Vasquez, who was named ACC player of the year and the Bob Cousy Award winner as the nation's top point guard as a senior and was taken by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2010 draft, No. 28 overall. "You guys know me, I'm not afraid."
Said former North Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough, who has made a similar transition to NBA role player, of his Raptors teammate, "He's the cockiest player I've ever played against and he's the cockiest player I've ever played with. I love him."
Former Montrose Christian coach Stu Vetter said after watching Game 3 at the Verizon Center that he can see how Vasquez has toned down his act since his years in Maryland. He said Vasquez's celebration in Game 1 was more sedate — "an aging shimmy," Vetter joked — than most he remembered.
"If he was the primary guard, I think you'd see a lot more flamboyance," Vetter said. "He's a smart player. He can contribute to a team in a lot of different ways. He can still bring that energy that he had at Maryland."
Vasquez has stayed in touch not only with Vetter and Williams, but has built a relationship with current Terps coach Mark Turgeon as well.
"Every now and then I talk to Coach Turgeon. He's doing a great job, putting the program back on the map and establishing himself, especially in the Big Ten," Vasquez said. "I'm proud of the team, I thought they did a great job this past season."
As happy he is with Maryland returning to national prominence, Vasquez was sad to see Vetter leave Montrose Christian last year. It was recently reported that the school is considering eliminating the basketball program.
"I was a little disappointed because Coach Vetter did so much for the program and for a lot of players," said Vasquez, who played with NBA superstar Kevin Durant at the Rockville school. "I think he was underestimated at how much his value was at our school. He helped a lot of kids, not only in basketball, but in life."
Vasquez is not sure of what will happen after the seasons ends, possibly by Sunday night. The fact that he has already been traded three times the past three years means he knows it could happen again this summer, particularly since he has one year left on his current contract.
"I'd really to stay here, I like Toronto and we'll see what happens," he said. "It's crazy how time goes by so fast. Now I'm in the NBA at the highest stage, being in the playoffs. Such a privilege."
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