Chase Budinger: Chasing Down A Volleyball Dream

No longer competing on the hardwood, Chase Budinger is trying to live out a life long dream as a professional, Beach Volleyball player.

As the newly released country song by Thomas Rhett goes “Life Changes and I wouldn’t change it for the world”. Former Wildcat basketball star, Chase Budinger, has changed and from the looks of things, he wouldn’t change it for the world.

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Still a tremendous athlete, Budinger was once a highly rated basketball recruit from La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, California. Standing six-feet-seven-inches tall, Budinger decided to take the I-10 East to Tucson.

This is where he would pursue his basketball dreams as an Arizona Wildcat. While wearing the red and blue, Chase averaged 17 points per game, while collecting five rebounds and two assists in his three seasons in Tucson.

These stats along with his extraordinary leaping ability, and a sweet stroke from beyond the arc earned him a spot in the NBA, being drafted 44th overall to the Detroit Piston, before being traded and spending his rookie season with the Houston Rockets.

During his rather respectable eight years in the league, Budinger became sort of an NBA journeyman, also spending time with Indiana, Minnesota,  Phoenix and Brooklyn before ultimately hanging up the basketball shoes.

Throughout his NBA career, Chase had battled with knees issues that required multiples surgeries, in hopes of getting him back on the right track. Unfortunately, his knee never did allow him to gain his form back and he was eventually released by Brooklyn Nets in October of 2016.

Still regrouping from his basketball career coming to an early end, Budinger soon realized that he still had a passion for another sport, that sport being volleyball.

As a tremendous athlete in high school, Chase was also a highly regarded volleyball recruit, before ultimately choosing basketball.

Naturally, being from California and having spent a lot of time on the beach as a child, he felt right at home as he recently entered the Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour.

Since joining in February, Budinger has been competing on the National stage, teaming up with fellow pro, Sean Rosenthal.

Despite the duo recently losing to the Netherlands, they still have faith that they can be a dynamic team. In a post game interview, Rosenthal went on to say ” We expect a lot. He has played at the highest level of a sport. I played at the highest level, so we know we can be good. We know we will be good”.

Check out some of Chase’s recent highlights, as he transitions to a new sport.

Must Read: ZZ: Everything Arizona Athletics

Chase Budinger has come a long way since stepping foot onto the campus of University of Arizona.  Life has thrown many curveballs his way, but with that Bear Down mentatlity he was able to fight through them. Now he has found a new passion and love for volleyball and Wildcats fans everywhere wish him nothing but the best! BearDown Chase!