Chase Budinger, a former NBA player, made a successful transition to beach volleyball, winning his Olympic debut alongside partner Miles Evans, defeating the French duo of Youssef Krou and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat in straight sets (21-14, 21-11). Budinger, who played seven seasons in the NBA, is the first athlete to compete in both the NBA and Olympic beach volleyball, having previously excelled in both sports during high school. He began focusing on beach volleyball after retiring from basketball in 2017, having kept his skills sharp by playing with former NBA stars in the offseason. Budinger had previously expressed a goal of making it to the Olympics, reflecting on his nervousness before the match. He and Evans will next compete against a Dutch team, continuing their Olympic journey in Paris. Budinger’s career highlights include being co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game alongside Kevin Durant and averaging significant stats during his college career at Arizona.