Chase Budinger’s Remarkable Transition
Chase Budinger, a former NBA forward, is set to make history at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the first athlete to have played in both an NBA regular season game and Olympic beach volleyball. Budinger, 36, expressed immense pride in this milestone, emphasizing his dedication to both sports.
Balancing two careers
In an interview, Budinger highlighted the crucial support from his volleyball coach and his wife, Jessica. He acknowledged Jessica’s sacrifices while he traveled, saying, “Playing in all these tournaments, while she just stayed home with the kid, taking care of the house, taking care of the homefront — and being so supportive as well, doing it all, making sure I have everything that I need to kind of go for my dream.”
Budinger excelled in both basketball and volleyball at La Costa Canyon High School in Southern California but pursued basketball at the University of Arizona. He credits volleyball for enhancing his basketball skills, noting that it improved his footwork, coordination, and jumping ability.
NBA career and transition to volleyball
After playing three years at Arizona, Budinger was drafted by the NBA in 2009. He spent seven years with the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, and Phoenix Suns. Despite his basketball success, Budinger always envisioned transitioning to beach volleyball, provided his body remained healthy.
Olympic dream realized
Post-NBA, Budinger played in Spain’s Baskonia in the EuroLeague before fully committing to beach volleyball in 2017 with an Olympic dream. “When I finally did decide to switch over to beach volleyball, it was basically my main goal to go for it and to try to make the Olympics,” he said.
Budinger, alongside his volleyball partner Miles Evans, is preparing for the Paris Games, aiming to bring home a medal for Team USA. Representing the country in Paris “means everything,” he stated, appreciating the overwhelming support from fans and his community.
Budinger reminds fans of the sport’s difficulty, particularly at the highest level. “Watching the Olympics, we make it look so easy. And to the average fan, they think that they could do it, but the sport is really difficult,” he explained. Matches at the Paris Games will run from July 27 to August 10.