NBA star LeBron James has been appointed the male flagbearer for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The Los Angeles Lakers star, who had no idea what the opening ceremony was about at his first Olympics in 2004, was chosen by his fellow American Olympians for Friday night’s event. He will be the third basketball player, and the first men’s player, to carry the American flag at the start of the Olympics. Dawn Stanley carried the flag at the 2004 Athens Games, and Sue Bird will do so at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
The 39-year-old James got word of the honor Monday in London, a few hours before the U.S. men’s team was scheduled to play its final pre-Olympics exhibition game against World Cup champion Germany.
“It is an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially at a time when the entire world can come together,” James said in a statement. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only me, but to my family, all the kids in my community, my teammates, other Olympians, and so many more people throughout the country with huge dreams. Sports have the capacity to unite us all, and I’m honored to be a part of this historic occasion.” Stephen Curry, a first-time Olympian, nominated a teammate on behalf of the United States men’s team.
“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 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,” Curry added. “And the work speaks for itself.”
The female U.S. flagbearer is expected to be revealed Tuesday.
In 2020, the International Olympic Committee decided that national delegations would have two flagbearers — one male, one female — a move to promote gender parity. The U.S. is expected to have nearly 600 athletes in the Paris Games, about 53% of whom are female.
This will be an opening ceremony like none other in Olympic history: Thousands of athletes will be part of a flotilla sailing along the River Seine at sunset toward the Eiffel Tower. It’s a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route, with about 320,000 guests set to watch from the river bank and about 1 billion more, Olympic officials estimate, watching on televisions around the world.
