PARIS (AP) — The slam dunk contest was a spectacle. Facing Kobe Bryant was something he will never forget.
Now Chase Budinger has some Olympic memories to go along with those NBA career highlights.
“Playing in the Olympics, playing in this venue, will definitely be up there with some of my greatest basketball moments, for sure,” Budinger said after Norway eliminated the Americans from the beach volleyball men's tournament at the Paris Games on Monday.
“My first couple of matches, stepping onto the court with 12,000 people cheering … it was just an incredible atmosphere,” the former Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves forward said. “Playing underneath the lights, underneath the Eiffel Tower, which was sparkling -- you can’t replicate these type of memories that we’ll have.”
A high school hoops and indoor volleyball star who helped lead Arizona to the NCAA basketball Sweet 16 before playing seven years in the NBA, Budinger joined with Miles Evans in a partnership that was a longshot at the beginning of the two-year Olympic qualifying season. It wasn’t until June – the final two weeks -- that they rose high enough in the points rankings to secure a spot in Paris.
“So much respect for Chase, who was able to play the NBA for many years and was a great player there,” said Norway's Anders Mol, who teamed with Christian Sorum to win the gold medal in Tokyo and to beat the Americans on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals. “And now he manages to play an Olympic sport for USA, beach volleyball. Those two sports are so different. He is a really athletic guy. And it’s really cool. I have so much respect for that journey.”
Budinger and Evans started out the Summer Games with a victory over host France but lost to the Netherlands and Spain, requiring a victory in the lucky loser stage to reach the round of 16. On Monday, they were overmatched by the Norwegians 21-16, 21-14.
“They’ll probably go down as one of the best teams -- if not the best team -- to ever to play together,” Budinger said. “They’ve been playing really great the last few tournaments, and I feel like they are definitely peaking right now.”
Before leaving the sand, Budinger and Evans stood together to take in the scene one last time.
“We took a moment before we had to head out, just, ‘Let’s look at this one more time. We’re not going to see this again,’” Evans said.
“We’ve been hyping this up for so long, and it definitely exceeded expectations,” he said. “This is by far the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. I hope that we can make the 2028 Olympics and see what that’s all about. But this will always be one of the best memories of my life.”
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Budinger said the added stress of playing for his country was something he hadn't experienced in his basketball career. Beach volleyball is also a sport where, with two people on a team, everyone is involved in every play.
“Those nerves do definitely kick in,” he said. “And when you hear those ‘U-S-A!’ chants — nothing gives you chills and the emotions more than hearing those.”
If they do make it back to the 2028 Games, they will be the home team that fans are going crazy for. Los Angeles Olympics organizers are planning to site the beach volleyball venue in Santa Monica – about the midpoint between Budinger's hometown in Carlsbad and Evans’ in Santa Barbara.
“I’ll be old as dirt,” said Budinger, who will be 40 -- an age that hasn’t prevented other beach volleyball players from competing. “I’ve always said it’s really up to my body. And I take it year by year of how my body’s feeling. Right now I can say my body’s been feeling great.”
