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NBA DRAFT

June 24, 2010

Greivis Vasquez

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

No. 28 Selection, Memphis Grizzlies

Q. What are your feelings right now?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: Well, an unbelievable feeling, getting drafted, being in the first round and being one of those 30 guys that, you know, gets selected in the first round, so I'm very happy. I'm happy that I'm going to Memphis. I'm happy for the city. I can't wait to get there, start working for training camp and then the fans, I'm really going to love them.
I'm excited. I'm very, very excited.

Q. Talk about being a 6-6 point guard, how that's going to benefit you, as well as the things you need to work on. And second question, the ending with Michigan State was incredible; talk about the excitement of the NCAAs.
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: Being 6'6" is all going to help me in the league. Playing four years with Maryland and the National Championship helped me to gain some experience and maturity. I think I won't have any problems going against point guards and shooting guards. I think I have to work on getting stronger and quicker, and I already feel better. So now that I'm focused on basketball 24/7 and don't have no school definitely helps me.
The last college game was really emotional for me, the way we lost against Michigan State, but besides that, my team did a great job coming back. We came back, we were down 20, and then we basically were winning the game the last two seconds, and then the kid made a huge three and beat us at the buzzer.
I still got that game on my mind, and that is when I told myself after we lost. I said I'm going to work extremely hard so I win an NBA championship.

Q. You had the moxy to take that big shot, and to make two big shots, as well.
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: I see Ginobili and I see myself, and I love taking those tough shots, and especially when my team needs me to take a big-time shot. So it worked out for me. But it really doesn't matter because we lost but it was a great game overall.

Q. What's the significance of being drafted as the only player from Venezuela?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: (In Spanish: He's talking about his emotions and how proud he is to represent the people of Venezuela and his family. )

Q. What's impressive about you is the hard work that you've done over the years, and also, can you talk about your feelings when your name was called?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: I think what got me here was my work ethic. I had a great journey. I'm thankful and I never thought I would be sitting here talking to you guys and being in the NBA.
I'm very happy, I'm very humble and I just want to continue to work even harder from now on, because I believe that I can win an NBA championship, and it's going to take a lot of work.

Q. Talk about your fan following when your name was called.
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: It was unbelievable. I love the fans and my family and everybody cheering for me. That's something that I do appreciate a lot, and I'm thankful about that. I will never let the fans down and I was very thankful and I was shocked. I mean, the fans were rooting hard for me and that means a lot.

Q. I guess I was going to say something along the lines of, there's quite a scene out there with the flags waving; do you expect that national following to continue with you towards Memphis?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: Well, I wouldn't say that I expect that. But I would say that I would love to have it, and that was great. That was a great feeling, you know, people supporting you, getting you back, that was great. And then just like I say, I'm thankful and I'm very happy and excited about my pro career.

Q. You and Patrick Patterson are the only people to complete a four-year degree; do you think there's a prejudice against graduates?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: It's going to help you. I mean, I don't want to take anything away from the other guys. I think the guys that got drafted that were underclassmen, they are great players. No question they are.
But I think playing four years in college gives you more experience and more maturity. So maybe your decision -- no maybe; this is a fact. The decision-making, you know, is a lot better. It will be like an adult making a decision. But you know, when you are extremely talented, you might not have to go for four years, but that's how life is.
For me, it was great for me to go four years in college, being in Maryland with Coach Williams, it really helped me a lot to the point where nobody thought I was going to get drafted the first round, and I am drafted.

Q. We could obviously tell how excited you were; where did you think you might go? A number of teams were very interested in you and the Knicks were one of them. Did you give any thought of where you might end up?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: I think the Knicks are a great team, no question about that. But when you are sitting right there on the stands and waiting for your name to be called, you just want to get your name called, regardless. I love the team that I just got drafted by. I think the Memphis Grizzlies is really going to give me an opportunity to develop my game. It not going to be easy but I have to work extremely hard, and I'm just thankful. It's good. It's great. The whole situation to me seems pretty good. I mean, I'm excited about coming in and working hard, and sorry that I couldn't go to the Knicks but I'm just happy with the Memphis Grizzlies right now.

Q. Four weeks ago, we sat in Chicago and I asked you the question, are you a first-round draft pick, and no question in your voice, you said you were, without question; how good does it feel to be a first-round draft pick now?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: Very good. I'm going to keep it humble. I really think everything happens for a reason and I thank God for giving me strength. It was hard. I waited 28 picks to get drafted.
I'm excited, very excited. After you get drafted, you feel a release that you want to get to work. I'm just very excited and I'm happy, and I'm not going to let the Memphis fans down. I think I'm going to bring my energy and my enthusiasm, so I just can't wait to start working out for the team.

Q. Talk about Venezuela is known for baseball, obviously, and talk about how your being picked in the first round and the fact that you can potentially start with the Memphis Grizzlies, how that can propel Venezuela basketball?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: I mean, I get emotional because my country have been following me and supporting me like I'm the best baseball player coming out of Venezuela right now and that's huge. I grew up watching baseball. I'm a baseball fan. To see people and young kids following me in my career in college is priceless. It's unbelievable, and that's another motive that I have. My country really pushed me inside of me to get better and just not to let my country down; I think having a chance to play and develop my game in the NBA is going to be huge, huge, for my country, especially because, you know, what we are going through right now. It's going to bring happiness. People want to forget about -- they just want to talk about sports, baseball, basketball, and right now we have a lot of baseball players but only one NBA guy, so I feel good about that.

Q. I know you touched on it before, but how important was it to you to get a degree at Maryland?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: Unbelievable. I think nobody can take that away from me. Nobody. I mean, to me, it's not about money. To me it's not about fame. To me it's about being a good person and a good basketball player, and I think like I say, I'm thankful that I went to Maryland, because the university gave me a chance to become a great person and a great player, and then, you know, winning the NCAA player in the year, best point guard in the country and getting drafted in the first round by the Memphis Grizzlies, I can't ask for anything else.
And now playing six years, I intend on playing in the NBA, now I can go back and have any type of business because I have my degree, so I have some type of knowledge and that's huge.

Q. Coming from Venezuela and being the first basketball player from there, how much does it mean for you to be a role model to get a degree and go to college?
GREIVIS VASQUEZ: I want to be in that position right now. I want kids to understand that. You can only play sports for so long but what happens if you get injured or something goes wrong, and so then you have your backup plan, which is your degree.
That's something that makes me proud and makes my family proud and makes my country proud; and if I did it, kids can do it, too. You need to stay in school and get your degree. That's important.

End of FastScripts

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