How Chase Budinger Made The Transition From NBA Star To 2024 Beach Volleyball Olympian
JUL 29, 2024-1 MIN
How Chase Budinger Made The Transition From NBA Star To 2024 Beach Volleyball Olympian
JUL 29, 2024-1 MIN
Description
<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgube-3k8W0wixiAljrxFzZIuAXJ4FpusDyDQygGLE3mSyGNq8PGiqToWwHQ6rMK_4AU_vqusS7NVm3X8rBABDyO5YEU4Aa-_S91K-YJabrX6rOXgAgG7hjE6_211_1dSl6mlBnjhbVpbM2pM2LUcxwYI0sPVnxEAXSfVI50b98oKvNGLkA3jnHqzIoiYE/s800/budinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgube-3k8W0wixiAljrxFzZIuAXJ4FpusDyDQygGLE3mSyGNq8PGiqToWwHQ6rMK_4AU_vqusS7NVm3X8rBABDyO5YEU4Aa-_S91K-YJabrX6rOXgAgG7hjE6_211_1dSl6mlBnjhbVpbM2pM2LUcxwYI0sPVnxEAXSfVI50b98oKvNGLkA3jnHqzIoiYE/s320/budinger.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="image-caption">Chase Budinger at the 2018 AVP NYC Open / Mpu Dinani</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Fans watching the 2024 Paris Olympics see a familiar face in Chase Budinger, but playing in a less-than-familiar arena on the sand. The NBA veteran made the switch to beach volleyball in 2018 after seven-year NBA career, focusing on making the Olympics in his first love, beach volleyball. </p><p>Below is a 2018 interview I conducted with Budinger in New York City, just as he started on his Olympic journey. We discussed his transition, as well as how he was tested guarding LeBron James and Kevin Durant, both who have joined Budinger as 2024 Olympians.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Making The Switch <br /></h3><p>Entering this year’s AVP Gold Series in New York City, there was a
big question mark as to whether Chase Budinger was truly ready to
compete at the top tier of professional beach volleyball. Skeptics were
weary of the 6’7″ California native, as he just returned to the sand
this winter after capping a seven-year NBA career—as well as a season
playing in Europe.</p><p>Spending the weekend playing alongside two-time
Olympian Sean Rosenthal, the pair came away with a fifth-place
finish—led by Budinger flashing dominant stretches at the net both
blocking and hitting.</p><div class="mai-aec mai-aec-entry-content"><div class="wrap"><div class="g g-41"><div class="g-dyn a-101 c-1"><div id="usmg_ad_SMG_TheSportsPost_300x250_1m"> </div></div></div></div></div><p>“<em>I had a good run,</em>” Budinger said at the 2018 AVP Gold Series last weekend in New York City. “<em>[I
had] three great years at Arizona, seven years in the NBA, and one
overseas professionally. This winter, I didn’t want to go back overseas,
and pretty much Sean [Rosenthal] came calling. It was the right fit and
the perfect timing for me to make the transition.</em>”</p><p>For those inside of the volleyball community, Budinger’s prowess is
of little surprise. He was one of the most lauded prep stars in
California’s history. He was Volleyball Magazine’s 2006 National High
School Player of the Year. However, he was also the co-MVP of the 2006
McDonald’s All-American basketball game alongside Kevin Durant. When it
came time to choose a college, he could not resist Hall of Famer coach
Lute Olson’s pitch to focus solely on basketball at the University of
Arizona.</p><p>“<em>I pretty much went to Arizona because of Lute Olson,</em>” he said. “<em>Looking
at that team, I felt like I could play right away and he had high
expectations for me. … My three final schools were Arizona, UCLA, and
USC. If I chose the other two schools, I would have played both [sports]
… At that time I pretty much put it in my head to get away from
volleyball and focus on just basketball and see how far basketball could
take me.</em>”</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Committing To Training<br /></h3><p>Once he committed to returning to his volleyball
roots, Budinger leaned on Rosenthal’s two decades of professional beach
volleyball experience for support. Training together for the past six
months, Budinger has tried to soak up as much knowledge as he could
while building their partnership.</p><p>“<em>It has definitely been a learning curve for me,</em>” he admits. “<em>There
has been a lot of learning on the fly just because it comes so quickly.
We started in late January teaming up and practicing. For now,
communicating is the biggest thing while working together at every
practice just picking each other’s brain, me especially picking his
brain.</em>”</p><p>Even though it is early in the beach volleyball
season, the duo are already showing signs that they will be a formidable
team for the rest of the summer. At the first AVP stop in Austin,
Texas, they lost both of their matches en route to a 13th-place finish.
But just a few short weeks later in New York City, the pair had a
breakthrough performance that put them within a few points of advancing
to the semi-finals.</p><p>“<em>Every tournament is going to be really helpful for us getting that game experience,</em>” he said. “<em>For
me, it’s really just about repetitions and game experience. It seems
like you play these guys over and over in the AVP. I am so new to these
guys and they are to me, but eventually you’ll start getting some reads
on these guys. Taking it all in, I knew this first year was going to be a
lot ups and downs for me.</em>”</p><p>In most professional sports
leagues, a 30-year-old rookie would be far from prospect status. But in
the world of beach volleyball, the top talents peak in their late 30s,
with many competing well into their 40s. Budinger felt that he is right
on time to make an impact on the tour.</p><p>“<em>I want to play for a long time,</em>” he said. “<em>I
think I started at a good time. I’m still young. Volleyball players can
play for a long time in their 40s; that is at least another ten years
for me. That is kind of the goal, to play for ten years. When I made the
transition, I always knew that in the back of my mind that I wanted to
go back to volleyball and the only way that I was going to permit it was
if my body could hold up. I think I came here at a time when I am still
athletic, still can jump, and still can play.</em>”</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Guarding The Greats <br /></h3><p>Budinger’s
showing in New York City came on the heels of the Golden State Warriors
winning the NBA championship. Playing as a small forward in the NBA, he
had the daunting task of guarding both LeBron James and the
aforementioned Kevin Durant. Taking a moment to reflect on how he
approached defending both superstars, he explained the nearly impossible
task of stopping them.</p><p>“<em>They’re un-guardable,</em>” he
admitted. “I had to try to guard Kevin and LeBron. Those two guys are
just unbelievable. Durant, the way he could handle the ball, it is just
unreal for being 6’11”. His handle makes him everything, just how he
could cross people up, get into the lane and get to his spots. Once he
gets to his spots, all he needs to do is jump and shoot over you and you
can’t do anything about it.</p><p>“<em>LeBron is just a bully. If he
knows that he’s bigger than you, he’s just going to bully you and you
can’t do anything. That’s what happened to me.</em>”</p><p>So, does
Budinger’s experience of going up against arguably two of the best
basketball players of his generation transfer to the volleyball court?
He said it’s another world where facing those legends earn you no points
on the sand.</p><p>“<em>It’s different,</em>” Budinger says. “<em>I
just put my basketball days back and enjoy the memories I had from them.
Out here, the energy is completely different. I will take all of the
work ethic and approach that I learned over the years [playing
basketball] to this game. But as far as playing against those guys, it
doesn’t mean anything here.”</em></p><p> </p>
![<description><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgube-3k8W0wixiAljrxFzZIuAXJ4FpusDyDQygGLE3mSyGNq8PGiqToWwHQ6rMK_4AU_vqusS7NVm3X8rBABDyO5YEU4Aa-_S91K-YJabrX6rOXgAgG7hjE6_211_1dSl6mlBnjhbVpbM2pM2LUcxwYI0sPVnxEAXSfVI50b98oKvNGLkA3jnHqzIoiYE/s800/budinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgube-3k8W0wixiAljrxFzZIuAXJ4FpusDyDQygGLE3mSyGNq8PGiqToWwHQ6rMK_4AU_vqusS7NVm3X8rBABDyO5YEU4Aa-_S91K-YJabrX6rOXgAgG7hjE6_211_1dSl6mlBnjhbVpbM2pM2LUcxwYI0sPVnxEAXSfVI50b98oKvNGLkA3jnHqzIoiYE/s320/budinger.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="image-caption">Chase Budinger at the 2018 AVP NYC Open / Mpu Dinani</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Fans watching the 2024 Paris Olympics see a familiar face in Chase Budinger, but playing in a less-than-familiar arena on the sand. The NBA veteran made the switch to beach volleyball in 2018 after seven-year NBA career, focusing on making the Olympics in his first love, beach volleyball.&nbsp;</p><p>Below is a 2018 interview I conducted with Budinger in New York City, just as he started on his Olympic journey. We discussed his transition, as well as how he was tested guarding LeBron James and Kevin Durant, both who have joined Budinger as 2024 Olympians.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Making The Switch <br /></h3><p>Entering this year’s AVP Gold Series in New York City, there was a
big question mark as to whether Chase Budinger was truly ready to
compete at the top tier of professional beach volleyball. Skeptics were
weary of the 6’7″ California native, as he just returned to the sand
this winter after capping a seven-year NBA career—as well as a season
playing in Europe.</p><p>Spending the weekend playing alongside two-time
Olympian Sean Rosenthal, the pair came away with a fifth-place
finish—led by Budinger flashing dominant stretches at the net both
blocking and hitting.</p><div class="mai-aec mai-aec-entry-content"><div class="wrap"><div class="g g-41"><div class="g-dyn a-101 c-1"><div id="usmg_ad_SMG_TheSportsPost_300x250_1m"> </div></div></div></div></div><p>“<em>I had a good run,</em>” Budinger said at the 2018 AVP Gold Series last weekend in New York City. “<em>[I
had] three great years at Arizona, seven years in the NBA, and one
overseas professionally. This winter, I didn’t want to go back overseas,
and pretty much Sean [Rosenthal] came calling. It was the right fit and
the perfect timing for me to make the transition.</em>”</p><p>For those inside of the volleyball community, Budinger’s prowess is
of little surprise. He was one of the most lauded prep stars in
California’s history. He was Volleyball Magazine’s 2006 National High
School Player of the Year. However, he was also the co-MVP of the 2006
McDonald’s All-American basketball game alongside Kevin Durant. When it
came time to choose a college, he could not resist Hall of Famer coach
Lute Olson’s pitch to focus solely on basketball at the University of
Arizona.</p><p>“<em>I pretty much went to Arizona because of Lute Olson,</em>” he said. “<em>Looking
at that team, I felt like I could play right away and he had high
expectations for me. … My three final schools were Arizona, UCLA, and
USC. If I chose the other two schools, I would have played both [sports]
… At that time I pretty much put it in my head to get away from
volleyball and focus on just basketball and see how far basketball could
take me.</em>”</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Committing To Training<br /></h3><p>Once he committed to returning to his volleyball
roots, Budinger leaned on Rosenthal’s two decades of professional beach
volleyball experience for support. Training together for the past six
months, Budinger has tried to soak up as much knowledge as he could
while building their partnership.</p><p>“<em>It has definitely been a learning curve for me,</em>” he admits. “<em>There
has been a lot of learning on the fly just because it comes so quickly.
We started in late January teaming up and practicing. For now,
communicating is the biggest thing while working together at every
practice just picking each other’s brain, me especially picking his
brain.</em>”</p><p>Even though it is early in the beach volleyball
season, the duo are already showing signs that they will be a formidable
team for the rest of the summer. At the first AVP stop in Austin,
Texas, they lost both of their matches en route to a 13th-place finish.
But just a few short weeks later in New York City, the pair had a
breakthrough performance that put them within a few points of advancing
to the semi-finals.</p><p>“<em>Every tournament is going to be really helpful for us getting that game experience,</em>” he said. “<em>For
me, it’s really just about repetitions and game experience. It seems
like you play these guys over and over in the AVP. I am so new to these
guys and they are to me, but eventually you’ll start getting some reads
on these guys. Taking it all in, I knew this first year was going to be a
lot ups and downs for me.</em>”</p><p>In most professional sports
leagues, a 30-year-old rookie would be far from prospect status. But in
the world of beach volleyball, the top talents peak in their late 30s,
with many competing well into their 40s. Budinger felt that he is right
on time to make an impact on the tour.</p><p>“<em>I want to play for a long time,</em>” he said. “<em>I
think I started at a good time. I’m still young. Volleyball players can
play for a long time in their 40s; that is at least another ten years
for me. That is kind of the goal, to play for ten years. When I made the
transition, I always knew that in the back of my mind that I wanted to
go back to volleyball and the only way that I was going to permit it was
if my body could hold up. I think I came here at a time when I am still
athletic, still can jump, and still can play.</em>”</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Guarding The Greats <br /></h3><p>Budinger’s
showing in New York City came on the heels of the Golden State Warriors
winning the NBA championship. Playing as a small forward in the NBA, he
had the daunting task of guarding both LeBron James and the
aforementioned Kevin Durant. Taking a moment to reflect on how he
approached defending both superstars, he explained the nearly impossible
task of stopping them.</p><p>“<em>They’re un-guardable,</em>” he
admitted. “I had to try to guard Kevin and LeBron. Those two guys are
just unbelievable. Durant, the way he could handle the ball, it is just
unreal for being 6’11”. His handle makes him everything, just how he
could cross people up, get into the lane and get to his spots. Once he
gets to his spots, all he needs to do is jump and shoot over you and you
can’t do anything about it.</p><p>“<em>LeBron is just a bully. If he
knows that he’s bigger than you, he’s just going to bully you and you
can’t do anything. That’s what happened to me.</em>”</p><p>So, does
Budinger’s experience of going up against arguably two of the best
basketball players of his generation transfer to the volleyball court?
He said it’s another world where facing those legends earn you no points
on the sand.</p><p>“<em>It’s different,</em>” Budinger says. “<em>I
just put my basketball days back and enjoy the memories I had from them.
Out here, the energy is completely different. I will take all of the
work ethic and approach that I learned over the years [playing
basketball] to this game. But as far as playing against those guys, it
doesn’t mean anything here.”</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p></description>](https://us-central1-podcastguru-217d6.cloudfunctions.net/gcf_get_image?image_url=https://archive.org/download/NICKEXAMINEBASEBALL01/NICK_EXAMINE_BASEBALL-01.jpg&width=300&height=300&api_key=xqFmUFX5BHLBTA)