Former NBA player Chase Budinger made a remarkable transition in his athletic career, achieving his first beach volleyball victory at the Olympics on Monday. Budinger, who took up beach volleyball seriously only after retiring from professional basketball, partnered with Miles Evans to qualify for the Summer Games in Paris. The pair marked their Olympic debut with an impressive win, defeating French favorites Arnaud Gauthier-Rat and Youssef Krou in straight sets, 21-14, 21-11.
Miles Evans and Chase Budinger are off to a hot start in beach volleyball. 🔥🇺🇸 #ParisOlympics
📺: NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/PenOlUtQgH
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 29, 2024
Standing at 6 feet 7 inches, Budinger’s basketball physique proved advantageous on the beach volleyball court, where he effectively blocked shots and neutralized spikes. Budinger’s athletic prowess isn’t new; he was a standout in both basketball and beach volleyball during his high school years. In beach volleyball, he was named National Player of the Year in 2006 and received MVP honors at a junior Olympic tournament. However, when the time came to choose a career path, he initially left beach volleyball behind to pursue basketball at the University of Arizona.
Budinger had an impressive sophomore year in 2007-08 and was considered a potential first-round NBA draft pick. However, he chose to return to college for another season before declaring for the NBA Draft in 2009, where he was selected 44th overall by the Detroit Pistons. His rights were traded to the Houston Rockets, marking the start of his NBA journey. Over his first three seasons, Budinger averaged 20-22 minutes per game, shooting between 42 and 44 percent from the field.
Imagine winning in the Olympics in your second sport 🤯@kerrileewalsh talks Chase Budinger’s impressive beach volleyball debut. pic.twitter.com/f8llwGlyyy
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 29, 2024
He later moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where his playing time decreased over three seasons. Budinger was subsequently traded to the Indiana Pacers, playing 49 games before being waived in March and then signing with the Phoenix Suns shortly thereafter. His NBA career concluded with a brief stint with the Brooklyn Nets and a subsequent move to Europe, before retiring in 2017.
Shout out to former NBA player Chase Budinger for winning his first #Olympics match in men’s beach volleyball.
Throwback to this funny ‘white men can’t jump’ dunk.
— PBA insider 🏀 (@PBAinsider) July 29, 2024
Since retiring from basketball, Budinger has dedicated himself to beach volleyball, competing on the AVP tour. By playing on Monday, Budinger achieved a unique milestone, becoming the first person to compete in both Olympic beach volleyball and regular-season NBA games. The only other athlete with a similar dual-sport Olympic and NBA history is Keith Erickson, who competed in indoor volleyball at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972.
Major Points:
- Chase Budinger transitioned from an NBA career to becoming an Olympic beach volleyball player.
- Budinger and partner Miles Evans debuted in the Olympics with a victory over French players Arnaud Gauthier-Rat and Youssef Krou.
- He was a standout in both basketball and beach volleyball during high school, earning National Player of the Year honors in 2006 for volleyball.
- Budinger played in the NBA for teams like the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, and Phoenix Suns, retiring in 2017.
- He became the first athlete to compete in both Olympic beach volleyball and regular-season NBA games.
Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
