Former NBA player makes Olympic roster in another sport

The former second-round pick (44th overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft made USA Volleyball's Olympics roster on Wednesday. Budinger spent seven seasons in the association with the Rockets, Timberwolves, Pacers and Suns.

His best season came in 2011-12 in Houston when he shot 40.2 percent from deep on 3.8 three-point attempts per game and averaged 9.6 points per game.

Budinger will play in the doubles competition at the Summer Olympics with partner Miles Evans. The two have played together since 2022 and have four medals, including golds at the 2023 BPT Haikou Challenge and the 2024 NORCECA Continental Tour Final, respectively.

The most recent gold was huge in the duo's inclusion on the Olympic roster.

"We knew how important winning the NORCECA qualifier was in the Olympic race, and it ended up being the tournament that helped us pass Trevor [Crabb] and Theo [Brunner] finally," Evans said following the Continental Tour Final.

Most recently, Budinger and Evans finished fifth at the Challenge Warmia Mazury in Stare Jablonki, Poland.

Per Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, Budinger is strongest as an attacker. He ranks 19th on the tour in attacker points (52) with a 58.4 success rate.