Chase Budinger and Miles Evans, California natives, are practicing for the 2024 Summer Olympics by simulating the Paris courts on Hermosa Beach.
The duo has been playing together for about two years. After practicing ceaselessly, they built a chemistry as a duo and are now first-time olympians.
“Walking into the stadium that’s gonna be packed with 14,000 people, you have the Eiffel Tower in the background, really just enjoy it when you’re walking in and look at your surroundings and what you’ve accomplished for the past two years of this journey,” Budinger said, anticipating their arrival in Paris “Once we step onto that court, just get back to business and it’s just another game for us.”
While practicing on Hermosa Beach, Budinger and Evans added fan noises, chants of “USA! USA!” as background for their drills to prepare for what the stadium will sound like in Paris.
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Budinger, who was once an NBA player signed with over five national basketball teams and one international team over the span of 8 years, turned to beach volleyball after retiring from his professional basketball career.
His return to professional athletics through beach volleyball will make him the first person to compete in both the NBA and Olympic Beach Volleyball.
Evans, who connected with Budinger through the Association of Volleyball Professionals, played volleyball for two years at UC Santa Barbara before retiring to focus on professional beach volleyball.
“It comes in waves, for sure,” said Evans about feeling nervous leading up to the Olympics. “At certain moments, my buddies are like, ‘Dude, you’re an Olympian!’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, no way!’”
The duo will begin preliminary matches in Paris on July 27.
