If you thought the United States men’s basketball team—Los Angeles Lakers ahead LeBron James, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and friends—was the only cohort of American NBA gamers headed to the Paris Olympics, you would be mistaken.
Just one other ex-NBAer is headed to sports’ largest stage—in seaside volleyball.
Chase Budinger, a forward for the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and Suns from 2010-16, has formally certified for the Paris Games. Budinger and associate Miles Evans punched their ticket Wednesday, with the elimination of Us citizens Theo Brunner and Trevor Crabb from a qualifying tournament in the Czech Republic.
A blue-chip prospect in each basketball and volleyball out of higher faculty, Budinger selected hoops and played three effective seasons at Arizona. The Detroit Pistons built him the 44th select of the 2009 NBA draft.
In 2018, he returned to beach front volleyball, commencing a effective partnership with Evans in 2023.
Olympic competitiveness in the sport is scheduled to open up July 27.
