Chase Budinger had a solid NBA career, but when he finished playing pro basketball in 2017 he was only 29. That left plenty of time to start a new venture, which on Wednesday culminated in qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 36-year-old former UA basketball star will represent Team USA in beach volleyball, part of a duo with Miles Evans. Per NBC Sports, The 6-foot-7 Budinger will be the first athlete to have played in an NBA game and compete in the Olympics in beach volleyball.
A native of California, Budinger played for the UA from 2006-09, averaging nearly 17 points and scoring 1,697 for his career to rank XXXX in school history. He was taken in the second of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, for whom he played his first three seasons before spending time with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and finally Phoenix Suns.
Budinger played one season overseas in Spain in 2016-17 before leaving basketball and taking on beach volleyball in 2018.
The Paris Olympics run July 26-Aug. 11, with beach volleyball scheduled for July 27-Aug. 10.