Chase Budinger: Former NBA player will play beach volleyball for the USA at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer

Published 05/06/2024 at 16:39 GMT

Chase Budinger played seven seasons in the NBA - for Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns. After leaving basketball, he turned his attention to beach volleyball and has now qualified, alongside partner Miles Evans, to compete for the USA at the Olympic Games in Paris. Andy Benesh and Miles Partain are the other American men's duo.

Plays of the Day at 3x3 Basketball Olympic qualifying tournament

Former NBA player Chase Budinger will compete in beach volleyball at the Olympics this summer after claiming the final spot in the USA team, alongside his partner Miles Evans.

They outlasted Theo Brunner and Trevor Crabb in the last qualifying tournament to stay above them in the rankings and ensure they will represent their country in Paris.

Each nation can have two teams of each gender at the Olympics, so Budinger and Evans join Andy Benesh and Mile Partain as the men’s duos.

Olympic Games Paris 2024

'Going to be a great Games for her' - Ennis-Hill backs 'incredible' Caudery to win gold in Paris

25/06/2024 at 17:49

Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes will represent the USA in the women’s competition, as will Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss.

During his high school days in California, Budinger was named National Player of the Year in indoor volleyball by Volleyball Magazine, but chose to pursue basketball.

After starring for the University of Arizona, Budinger went on to play for four NBA teams, starting with a three-year spell with the Houston Rockets.

Chase Budinger played for four NBA teams including the Phoenix Suns

Image credit: Getty Images

He also represented Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns before, after a short spell in Spain, he finished his basketball career in 2017.

Budinger went on to play pro beach volleyball the very next year and, after experimenting with five different partners, he teamed up with Evans at the start of the 2023 season.

Both players have won on the AVP Tour with previous partners, but they have enjoyed their best results since coming together.

Budinger has spoken about his transition from basketball to volleyball in the past.

In 2018, he said: “I decided to see how far basketball could take me.

“But in the back of my mind, I knew I could always go back to volleyball after I was done with basketball.”

Speaking on the Sandcast volleyball podcast, he said: “Most guys, when they finish a sport, they’re kind of confused, or they’re kind of lost for the next journey or whatever life takes them next.

“I was lucky enough to just transition into a different sport immediately and play at the highest level.”

discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer

Olympic Games Paris 2024