PARIS (AP) — The dunk contest was a spectacle. Facing Kobe Bryant was something he’ll never forget.

In addition to the highlights of Chase Budinger’s NBA career, he now has Olympic memories, too.

“Playing in the Olympics, playing in this venue, will definitely be one of my greatest basketball moments,” Budinger said after Norway eliminated the Americans in the men’s beach volleyball tournament at the Paris Games on Monday.

“My first couple of games, I walked out there with 12,000 people cheering me on … it was an incredible atmosphere,” the former Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves forward said. “Playing under the lights, under the Eiffel Tower shining brightly — you can’t replicate those kinds of memories.”

Budinger, a high school basketball and indoor volleyball star who helped lead Arizona to the NCAA basketball Sweet 16 before playing seven years in the NBA, teamed up with Miles Evans in a long-distance partnership at the start of the two-year Olympic qualifying season. It took until June — the final two weeks — for them to climb high enough in the standings to clinch a spot in Paris.

“I have so much respect for Chase, who was able to play in the NBA for so many years and was a great player there,” said Anders Mol, the Norwegian who teamed with Christian Sorum to win a gold medal in Tokyo on Monday and beat the Americans to advance to the quarterfinals. “And now he gets to play beach volleyball, which is an Olympic sport for the United States. Those two sports are so different. He’s a really athletic guy. And that’s really cool. I have so much respect for that journey.”

Budinger and Evans began the Summer Games with a victory over hosts France but lost to the Netherlands and Spain, leaving them needing a victory in the lucky loser stage to advance to the last 16. On Monday, they were beaten 21-16, 21-14 by the Norwegians.

“They’ll probably go down as one of the best teams to ever play together — if not the best team –” Budinger said. “They’ve been playing really well the last couple of tournaments and I feel like they’re definitely hitting their peak right now.”

Before leaving the sandbar, Budinger and Evans gathered to take in the view one last time.

“We took a moment before we had to go out and just said, ‘Let’s take another look at this. We’re not going to see this again,'” Evans said.

“We’ve been hyping this up for a long time and it’s definitely exceeded expectations,” he said. “This is the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I hope we can make it to the 2028 Olympics and see what that means. But this will always be one of the best memories of my life.”

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Budinger said the added stress of playing for her country was something she hadn’t experienced in her basketball career. Beach volleyball is also a sport where, with two players on a team, everyone plays a part in every game.

“Those nerves definitely kick in,” he said. “And when you hear those chants of ‘USA!’ — nothing gives you more chills and more emotion than hearing those.”

If they return for the 2028 Games, they will be the home team that the fans go wild for. Los Angeles Olympic organizers plan to place the beach volleyball court in Santa Monica, halfway between Budinger’s hometown of Carlsbad and Evans’ hometown of Santa Barbara.

“I’m going to be old as trash,” said Budinger, who will be turning 40 — an age that doesn’t stop other beach volleyball players from competing. “I’ve always said it really depends on my body. And I take it year by year, how my body feels. Right now, I can say my body feels great.”