Both U.S. Basketball Teams Continue to be Heavy Olympics Favorites

In today’s newsletter…

• Leading Off: The former NBA player competing in Olympics beach volleyball

• MLB: Look at the struggling White Sox

• Olympics: Team USA men’s basketball rematch against South Sudan

• More MLB: Dylan Cease has given up 2 hits in 22 innings

• News: Analysis of the U.S. women’s gymnastics’ gold

PARIS — You might remember Chase Budinger from his time playing college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. Or possibly for his NBA career with the Rockets, Wolves, Pacers and Suns. But at the Olympics, he’s proving that a world-class athlete can succeed in multiple sports. He made the Team USA beach volleyball squad for the Paris Games seven years after retiring from the NBA (he joined the pro volleyball circuit in 2018). Budinger’s switch wasn’t completely random, though, as he was a volleyball star in high school and was named national player of the year by Volleyball Magazine.

Last night, he and teammate Miles Evans, who has been competing since 2014, lost 2-0 to the No. 4-ranked team in the world — Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot from the Netherlands. Budinger and Evans have risen to No. 13 in the world and have competed in 18 tournaments. Only one team in the top 50 of the FIVB Men’s Beach Volleyball World Rankings has more experience together.

Beach volleyball has one of the most electric and engaged crowds at the Olympics, and the 6-foot-7 Budinger was a fan favorite at the stadium at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Budinger and Evans play their final match of the group stage on Friday and need a win to guarantee a spot in the knockout round.

Abe