When Chase Budinger was named in the US men’s beach volleyball team for the Paris Olympics, it seemed as if the selection panel had got its wires crossed.
Budinger – a tall, blond, California cliche (and in case it is unclear, his is a hard g) – isn’t just any sand-sprinkled leviathan. He’s a 36-year-old NBA retiree. Really, the 6ft 7in swingman wouldn’t look out of place among the motley crew of journeymen who carry the US basketball team through the Olympic qualifiers while stars such as LeBron James and Steph Curry are otherwise occupied. Instead, he’s poised to become a rare human who has logged minutes in the NBA and competed in the Olympics in a sport other than basketball.
