James has been picked by his fellow US Olympians to serve as their male flagbearer in Friday night’s opening ceremony for the Paris Games. He becomes the third basketball player – and the first men’s player – to carry the US flag at the start of an Olympics, joining Dawn Staley for the Athens Games in 2004 and Sue Bird at the last Summer Games, in Tokyo.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James said. “For a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only myself, but to my family, all the kids in my home town, my teammates, fellow Olympians and so many people across the country with big aspirations. Sports have the power to bring us all together, and I’m proud to be a part of this important moment.”
The 39-year-old got word of the honor on Monday in London, a few hours before the US men’s team were scheduled to play their final pre-Olympics exhibition game against Germany.
James’s longtime on-court rival, and first-time Olympian, Stephen Curry nominated James for the flagbearer role.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry, who voted on behalf of the US men’s basketball team, said in the nomination video. “He has represented what it means to be excellent both on and off the court in his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how has been a lifelong passion. And the work speaks for itself.”
The female US flagbearer is expected to be revealed on Tuesday. The International Olympic Committee decided in 2020 that national delegations would have two flagbearers – one male, one female – at the opening ceremony, a move to promote gender parity. The US team is expected to have nearly 600 athletes at the Paris Games, 53% of them female.
“Being selected by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honor – and a testament to LeBron’s passion for Team USA and his dedication to his sport,” US Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
James – a four-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer set to go into his record-tying 22nd NBA season – will play in the Olympics for the fourth time, after he was part of US teams that won bronze in 2004, gold at Beijing in 2008 and gold again in London in 2012.
This will be an opening ceremony like no other. Thousands of athletes will be part of a flotilla sailing along the River Seine at sunset toward the Eiffel Tower. It’s a 3.7 mile route, with about 320,000 guests set to watch from the riverbank and about one billion more, Olympic officials estimate, watching on television around the world.
James and the US Olympians will be waiting longer than almost any other nation for their trip on the Seine. By IOC custom, Greece – who will have NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo as one of their two flagbearers – will lead the procession, followed by the Refugee Olympic Team and then about 200 more national delegations. The US are scheduled to go next-to-last in the procession, because Los Angeles will play host to the next Summer Games in 2028.
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France, as the host, will be the final nation in the opening ceremony procession. Their men’s basketball team, featuring reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, play their opening game on Saturday and aren’t expected to be present for the opening ceremony.
