Okay, let’s talk about Pepe Garcia—the 6’3” Spanish charmer who just cannonballed into the Love Island USA villa and immediately got social media doing backflips.
While everyone’s out here debating his looks (yes, people really called him “Sid the Science Kid”—savage), some of us want to know something far more crucial: What team did this man actually play for before becoming the Villa’s resident abs-on-display personal trainer?
Let’s get the sports gossip straight.
Pepe Garcia, full name Jose Garcia, isn’t just another shirtless gym bro. Before founding his fitness brand Pro Gainz and giving motivational speeches via his Instagram, @pepe.garcia15, Pepe was hooping for real. Born in Madrid, Spain, he started his journey stateside, playing college basketball at Cal State Fullerton—home of the Titans and famously gritty NCAA players who don’t always get the limelight but grind hard.
That’s right, this man went from college athlete in California to full-blown international baller.
After a couple of seasons with the Titans, Pepe packed his bags and took his talents overseas—not to South Beach like LeBron, but back across the Atlantic and even further south.
According to various sources, he went pro and played in both Spanish and South American basketball leagues until 2022. We don’t have the exact names of the teams (because unfortunately not every European league has the same press machine as the NBA), but this wasn’t pickup ball at your local YMCA—these were real, competitive pro leagues.
Now, why the pivot to reality TV and fitness?
Well, let’s be honest—how many former overseas basketball players do you see with a steady income stream and a camera-ready face?
Pepe clearly saw an opportunity and ran with it. He turned his athletic discipline into a business and now runs a personal training empire from Los Angeles, specializing in tailored strength and nutrition programs.
Yes, the shirtless content on Instagram is part of the brand.
Naturally, the internet has thoughts. Some fans are thirst-trapping over his accent and tattoos, while others gave him the “let it marinate” treatment.
“People are so quick to call bombshells ugly,” one Reddit user said.
Another added, “It’s definitely the outfits wdffff,” and I can’t lie—they may have a point. Fashion crimes on Love Island are practically a rite of passage at this point.
Still, there’s no denying that Pepe’s sports background gives him an edge. In a villa full of influencer-types and TikTok dancers, this guy actually lived a whole other life before becoming a romantic reality show contestant.
That kind of real-world experience, plus his charm and good-natured vibe, might just make him the dark horse this season.
Now, let’s sit with this for a second…
Here’s a guy who spent years playing basketball on two continents and then—boom—he’s in a villa, blindfolded, doing body shots with women tied up in some PG-13 torture chamber challenge on national TV. The shift from “professional athlete” to “Love Island bombshell” is both jarring and very 2025.
From his perspective?
It’s all part of the hustle. Pepe is 27, ambitious, and clearly media-savvy. He knows Love Island is a launchpad, not a retirement plan.
From the viewer’s perspective?
It’s slightly absurd, but entertaining. Honestly, it shows how sports, fitness, and influencer culture are all colliding into one big reality-TV soup where anything can happen.
So what can be done?
Maybe we stop pretending these shows are just about love and start calling them what they really are—network-sponsored bootcamps for the next wave of fitfluencers. And maybe, just maybe, we give the new people five minutes before roasting them online. Let them marinate, as the internet wisely says.
Well, I write daily (mostly the stuff I find interesting). If you like this whole no-nonsense approach, feel free to bookmark and come back tomorrow, or continue reading other stories to make up your mind.
See ya, internet friend.
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