From NBA courts to sandy beaches 🌴, Chase Budinger is flipping the script! The 36-year-old former basketball pro — who played for teams like the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns — is now spiking balls for Team USA in beach volleyball at the Paris 2024 Summer Games. 🏐🇺🇸
\"It's been a wild ride,\" Budinger told CGTN Sports Scene. After retiring from the NBA in 2017, he traded slam dunks for sunblock, calling the switch \"extremely difficult\" but rewarding. \"You’re battling wind, rain, heat — every tournament feels like a new video game level,\" he laughed. 🎮💦
Standing at 6’7\", Budinger’s basketball-honed athleticism gives him an edge, but mastering the nuances of beach volleyball took years. His ultimate flex? Competing at the Eiffel Tower venue, which he calls \"spectacular — even better IRL than Instagram pics.\" 📸✨
Catch Budinger and partner Miles Evans digging deep from July 27-August 10. Will this Cinderella story earn a medal? 🏅 Let the games begin!
