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Venezuelan Basketball Veteran gregory Vargas Announces Retirement from National Team Following SPB Exclusion
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CARACAS, Venezuela – Veteran point guard Gregory Vargas has announced his retirement from teh Venezuelan national basketball team following his omission from the roster for the upcoming 2025 South American Basketball Championship (SPB). The news broke after vargas expressed disappointment over a lack of interaction from head coach Ronald Guillén.
Vargas, who played a pivotal role in Venezuela’s qualification for the SPB, notably leading victories against Chile and Argentina in Miranda park, was a standout performer in the previous SPB season.He averaged 12.4 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game, frequently recording near triple-double performances for the Anzoátegui Gladiators.
FVB Prioritizes Youth Movement for 2025
The Venezuelan Basketball Federation (FVB) is undergoing a roster overhaul, opting for a younger lineup for the 2025 SPB, wich will be held in Medellín, Colombia from February 18-23, 2025. Alongside Vargas, other experienced players such as Heissler Guillent, Jhornan Zamora, and Néstor Colmenares were also not selected.
vargas revealed his reaction to the decision during an interview on El Doble, a program on Radio Unión. He stated, “I never closed the doors on this championship. When time passed I was always thinking if I went or not. Then I told a FVB member that the best way to retire was with this tournament. I let know that I wanted to be. In fact, what bothers me most is that the coach (Ronald Guillén) that I know him because I had it in gladiators and I thought we had a friendship. But he didn’t communicate with me.”
A 15-Year Legacy
Despite his disappointment, Vargas expressed support for the FVB’s renewal process. “I am quiet, because if they did another planning it has already happened. So I feel that it is indeed time to retire from the selection,as I have given 15 years of Venezuelan basketball. I thought the thing could happen differently. But happy for everything I lived. Applaud the renewal and that work that is being done,” he said.
Vargas’s career with the national team spanned 15 years, during which he became a fan favorite and a consistent contributor to Venezuelan basketball. He leaves behind a legacy of leadership, playmaking, and dedication to the Vinotinto (the national team’s nickname).
