Gregory Vargas


Gregory Maxdier Vargas Díaz is a Venezuelan professional basketball player for Cluj of the Romanian Liga Națională.

Professional career

In the 2015–16 season, Vargas averaged 13.9 points and 6.4 assists per game in the Israeli Premier League, with Maccabi Haifa.
Vargas also played against the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies as a part of Maccabi Haifa, in an NBA preseason game. He scored over 20 points in 8 games, and had 10 or more assists in 3 games as well, during the 2015–16 season.
On July 7, 2016, Vargas signed with French club SLUC Nancy. In November 2016, he left Nancy after appearing in eight games. On December 17, 2016, he returned to his former club Maccabi Haifa., 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.
On July 20, 2017, Vargas signed with the Spanish club Baloncesto Fuenlabrada of the Liga ACB for the 2017–18 season.
On August 1, 2019, Vargas returned to Maccabi Haifa for a third stint, signing a one-year deal. On February 3, 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.
On July 2, 2020, he has signed with Cluj of the Romanian Liga Națională.

National team career

Vargas is a member of the senior men's Venezuelan national basketball team. As a member of the team at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship, he helped Venezuela to defeat Uruguay and Canada to win the gold medal. That was Venezuela's first FIBA Americas Championship, and allowed them to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where Vargas also played with Venezuela.

Player profile

Vargas was described as a tough FIBA player, who could be a college basketball All-American, by ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla.

Personal

Vargas' older brother, José, is also a professional basketball player. The two brothers have played together on the senior men's Venezuelan national basketball team.