LeBron James, Team USA's Encounter With Ex-NBA Player Turned US Olympian Goes Viral

LeBron James and a few other members of Team USA ran into a familiar face during last Friday's 2024 Olympics opening ceremony in Paris, France.

Former NBA player Chase Budinger was among the hundreds of American athletes competing for the United States. Budinger, who played in the NBA from 2009-16, got a lot of love from James when the two ran into each other.

The 36-year-old also shared a moment with Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis while walking along the streets of Paris. On Sunday, Budinger posted the clips of his encounters with Team USA on his Instagram account.

After seven seasons in the NBA and one overseas, Budinger retired from professional basketball in 2017 to focus purely on playing beach volleyball.

After years of honing his craft, Budinger was able to qualify for the Olympics alongside his partner Miles Evans, who took the videos seen above.

Half of the Team USA men's basketball roster wasn't even in the league yet when Budinger called it quits. The Arizona alum was in the same 2009 NBA draft as Stephen Curry.

While never a star player like James or his other Team USA peers, Budinger carved out a decent NBA career. He averaged 7.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while primarily playing for the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

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