Chase Budinger college stats: How did the ex-basketball player turned volleyball star perform at Arizona?

Former NBA player-turned-beach volleyball Olympian Chase Budinger has found a home once more in his old love: volleyball. However, one can never deny that he was a legitimate bucket-getter during his time as a member of the Arizona Wildcats men`s basketball team, despite not being exactly a hooper at first.

Playing in the Valley from 2006 to 2009 in three total seasons, Budinger started in every single game in his college career before getting drafted 44th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. That said, here`s a quick look at his college stats with the Wildcats.

Chase Budinger college stats - general

In three seasons, Chase Budinger averaged 17 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for Arizona on an efficient 46.9% FG shooting (via Sports Reference). He also shot 38.3% from the three-point line and hit 78.2% of his free throws. In a conference like the Pac-12, these are more than respectable numbers.

It`s also even more amazing to think that basketball wasn`t even his first chosen sport when he started off his college career. As previously mentioned, Chase Budinger was a volleyball player entering college--but Arizona didn`t sponsor any men`s varsity volleyball team. Still, he decided to stay in the school despite getting offers from others to play both basketball and volleyball (specifically USC and UCLA).

Chase Budinger`s collegiate career accolades

Three years was more than enough for Chase Budinger to truly make a name for himself as a college hoops player. Entering D1 basketball as a McDonald`s All-American, the 6-foot-7 forward won Pac-10 (former name for the Pac-12) Freshman of the Year and was named to the All-Pac-10 Third Team, and All-Pac-10 First Team his three seasons.

He spent all three seasons in the top 20 in terms of scoring in the NCAA during his time with the Wildcats. Aside from that, he also was consistently among the 20 best college basketball players in the nation in steals, free throw percentage, field goals made, and three-pointers made.

By the time his career at UA was over, Budinger had crafted quite an impressive resume. He finished 11th all-time in Wildcats history in scoring, with only NBA vets Sean and Bob Elliott scoring more points in their first three college seasons.

He also led the team in all three of his seasons in three-point field goals with 190, and likewise shot above 52 percent from inside the arc during his collegiate career.