The world's best beach volleyball players will clash again this summer at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
One of the most exciting events in the Summer Olympics will be played at the stadium with arguably the most breathtaking view of any venue in Paris. The beach volleyball tournament will be played at Eiffel Tower Stadium, an outdoor venue located right in front of the famous landmark it's named after.
J-15 ⏳
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) July 11, 2024
Nous étions au site de beach volley et le sable y est !
On compte les grains avant le grand jour ✨#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/JsqoMySBJP
Fortunately, there are storylines in the sport worthy of such a site. Here are three big narratives to keep an eye on during the exciting beach volleyball Olympic tournament:
Chase Budinger makes Olympic debut
A former NBA player will be fighting for gold at the Eiffel Tower Stadium in Paris.
Budinger, a former Arizona star and NBA veteran, began chasing his Olympic volleyball dreams after retiring from professional basketball in 2017. He'll become the first athlete in history to play both an NBA regular season game and Olympic beach volleyball.
Over seven NBA seasons, Budinger, a small forward, played for four teams—the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns—and averaged 7.9 points and three rebounds per game.
But volleyball isn't something Budinger just tried out after his basketball career was done. Budinger won three volleyball state championships in high school and was named the Mizuno National Player of the Year by Volleyball Magazine in 2006. He played beach volleyball with friends as part of his cross-training routine during his NBA days and officially made the switch from the hardwood to the sand in 2018.
Budinger paired up with five different partners in beach volleyball before landing with Miles Evans in 2023. Together, they claimed the second and final U.S. Olympic beach volleyball spot for the Paris Games last month.
Women's gold medal is up for grabs
The "Star-Spangled Banner" played while Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman stood on top of the podium wearing their gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Games. But there will be a new champion crowned in Paris this summer, as Ross and Klineman stepped away from the sport to become mothers. They are back on the sand competing together again but didn't return in time to qualify for Paris.
Team USA is bringing the maximum two pairings to Paris in women's beach volleyball. Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes bring a bit of Olympic experience to the fold, as Cheng competed in Tokyo but failed to earn a medal with then-partner Sarah Sponcil. The other Team USA pairing is a fun combination of size with the 5'6" Kristen Nuss and 6'4" Taryn Kloth playing together as the largest height difference for any U.S. Olympic beach teammates.
Team USA's drought in men's beach volleyball
There hasn't been an American duo on the podium in men's beach volleyball since Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers in 2008.
Over than span, Germany, Brazil and Norway have won gold, with Norwegian partners Anders Mol and Christian Sorum heading to Paris to defend their gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Although Budinger and Evans are playing their best volleyball heading into the Olympics, Team USA's best shot at a medal is likely in the hands of Andy Benesh and Miles Partain.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Storylines to Watch in Beach Volleyball at 2024 Paris Olympics.
