Chase Budinger Shines in Olympic Beach Volleyball Debut

Chase Budinger and Miles Evans kicked off their Olympic journey in style, dominating the French duo of Youssef Krou and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat in beach volleyball. The U.S. team took home a convincing win, finishing the match in straight sets, 21-14 and 21-11.

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In the first set, Budinger and Evans quickly took control, jumping to a 10-4 lead. The French team managed to narrow the gap at one point, but the U.S. squad showed strong teamwork and clinched the set with Evans racking up significant attack points and digs.

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The second set started off with a sharper performance from Krou and Gauthier-Rat, but again, Budinger and Evans surged ahead with a swift 4-0 run. Budinger showcased impressive defensive skills, making crucial blocks, and ultimately sealed the victory with a solid final play that highlighted his athletic prowess.

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Budinger, who is 36 years old, is making his Olympic debut after an extensive career in the NBA, having played over 400 games. He made history by being the first athlete to participate in both an NBA regular-season game and an Olympic beach volleyball match. With his eye on the prize, Budinger and Evans aim to bring home a medal for the U.S. for the first time since the 2008 Beijing Games.

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Before he took the hardwood for basketball, Budinger was already a volleyball star. He earned the title of National Volleyball Player of the Year during high school and had scholarship offers for both basketball and volleyball before focusing solely on basketball at Arizona.

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After playing seven seasons in the NBA and scoring over 3,000 points, Budinger made a bold transition back to volleyball, citing the hard work it took to reach the Olympics as a significant driving force in his journey.

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On Tuesday, Budinger and Evans are set to return to the beach to face the Dutch team of Stefan Boermans and Yorick De Groot.