LeBron James will carry the American flag on behalf of the U.S. delegation at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games on Friday night.
The basketball legend was chosen to be the male flag bearer in a vote among his almost 600 fellow Team USA athletes. James, who is heading to his fourth Olympic Games this week, will become the first male basketball player to carry the Stars and Stripes during the ceremony.
A female flag bearer has also been chosen—their identity will be announced Tuesday. James is just the third American basketball player to be earn the flag-bearing honor, following in the footsteps of Dawn Staley at the 2004 Athens Games and Sue Bird in Tokyo in 2021.
“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 in a statement. “For a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only myself, but to my family, all the kids in my hometown, 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, a four-time NBA champion and the league’s scoring record holder, is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He was part of U.S. teams that won gold in London in 2012 and in Beijing in 2008, as well as a team that took bronze in 2004.
The U.S. men’s team won gold again in Rio in 2016 and in Tokyo in 2021 without James. The defending champions pulled off a dramatic comeback Saturday to defeat South Sudan in their final pre-Olympics friendly in London, closing a 16-point gap to avoid an embarrassing upset. James’ layup completed the escape with just eight seconds left on the clock, giving the USA a 101-100 victory.
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