Former NBA star Chase Budinger wins his first Olympics beach volleyball match after dramatic career U-turn

Former NBA subordinate Chase Budinger completed his melodramatic profession U-turn connected Monday erstwhile he won his first formation volleyball crippled astatine nan Olympics.

Budinger, who didn't commencement playing regularly connected nan formation until aft his NBA profession ended, qualified for nan Summer Games pinch partner Miles Evans. 

Both of them are making their Olympic debuts successful Paris and sewage disconnected to nan cleanable commencement pinch a regular triumph complete 2 location favorites. 

They claimed a 21-14, 21-11 triumph complete French duo Arnaud Gauthier-Rat and Youssef Krou connected nan sand.

Budinger's hoops framework came successful useful during nan crippled arsenic nan 6ft 7 powerhouse blocked shots and swatted distant spikes.

Coming retired of precocious school, Budinger was a prima subordinate successful some hoops and formation volleyball. 

In nan second sport, he was named nan National Player of nan Year successful 2006 and moreover earned MVP honors successful a inferior Olympic volleyball tournament.

But erstwhile it became clip to choose, he near formation volleyball down temporarily and pursued hoops astatine Arizona.

After a stellar sophomore play successful 2007-08 he declared for nan NBA Draft - wherever he was a projected first information pick, but backed out. 

He returned to play again for 1 much play and went to nan draught again successful 2009 - wherever he was picked 44th wide by nan Detroit Pistons.

On draught night, his authorities were traded to nan Houston Rockets - which were his first team.

In his first 3 seasons, he averaged betwixt 20-22 minutes a crippled and changeable betwixt 42 and 44 percent from nan field.

He was traded to nan Minnesota Timberwolves - wherever he played less games complete nan people of 3 seasons.

Budinger was traded erstwhile again to nan Indiana Pacers. He played 49 games and was waived successful March - yet signing pinch nan Phoenix Suns 3 days later.

After that season, he signed concisely pinch nan Brooklyn Nets wherever he was waived again - starring to a little stint successful Europe.

He retired successful 2017 - deciding to move his afloat attraction onto nan soil and has been connected nan AVP circuit ever since.

By playing connected Monday, Budinger has go nan first personification to play Olympic formation volleyball and play a regular-season NBA game.

The only personification who followed a akin way was Keith Erickson - who was connected nan indoor volleyball squad astatine nan 1964 Summer Olympics successful Tokyo and won an NBA title pinch nan Los Angeles Lakers successful 1972.