US Chooses LeBron as Male Flag Bearer | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LeBron James didn’t know exactly what the Opening Ceremony entailed when he was selected for his first Olympic Games in 2004.

This time he will be one of the stars of the show.

James has been selected by his fellow American Olympians to serve as the male flag bearer for the Americans at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday. He will become the third basketball player — and the first male player — to carry the U.S. flag at the start of the Olympics, joining Dawn Staley for the 2004 Athens Games and Sue Bird for the 2021 Tokyo Games.

“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this world stage, especially at a time that can bring the entire world together,” James said. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything, not just to me, 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 has the power to bring us all together, and I’m proud to be a part of this important moment.”

James, 39, was notified of the honor in London on Monday, hours before the U.S. men’s team was scheduled to play its final Olympic practice match against world champion Germany.

American star player and debuting Olympian Stephen Curry also nominated James for the role of flag bearer on behalf of the US men’s team.

“We realize what an honor it is to hold that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself and he deserves that honor,” Curry said in the nomination video.

“He has exemplified what it means to be outstanding both on and off the field in his dedication to service and uplifting the community in all the ways he knows has been a lifelong passion,” Curry added. “And the work speaks for itself.”

The female U.S. flag bearer is expected to be announced Tuesday. The International Olympic Committee decided in 2020 that national delegations would have two flag bearers — one male, one female — at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, a move aimed at promoting gender equality. The U.S. is expected to have nearly 600 athletes at the Paris Games, about 53 percent of them women.

“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,” said Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

James, a global icon, four-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer entering his 22nd NBA season, will be competing in his fourth Olympic Games. He was part of the U.S. teams that won bronze in 2004, gold in Beijing in 2008 and gold again in London in 2012. He ran in the opening ceremonies at each of his previous three Olympic Games.

This time he will float.

This will be an opening ceremony unlike any other in Olympic history: thousands of athletes will be part of a flotilla sailing down the Seine River at sunset toward the Eiffel Tower. It’s a 3.7-mile route, with some 320,000 guests watching from the riverbanks and an estimated 1 billion more, Olympic officials estimate, watching on televisions around the world.

Not all Olympic athletes will participate in the opening ceremony; many will skip it for logistical reasons, such as the day after. James and the four-time reigning U.S. men’s gold medalist won’t open the Games until Sunday, when they face Serbia in Lille, France.

James and the U.S. Olympians will have to wait longer than almost any other country to make their way across the Seine. Following IOC custom, Greece, which will have NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo as one of two flag bearers, will lead the procession, followed by the Refugee Olympic team and then some 200 other national delegations. The U.S. is expected to be the second-to-last in the procession, since Los Angeles is scheduled to host the next Summer Games in 2028.

France, as host, will be the last nation in the opening ceremony. The men’s basketball team, featuring reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, opens the Olympics on Saturday and is not expected to attend the opening ceremony.

American forward LeBron James waves to the crowd after a basketball exhibition match between the United States and South Sudan, at the O2 Arena in London, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

LeBron James, of the Los Angeles Lakers, answers a question from a reporter during the United States men’s basketball team training camp on Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

American forward LeBron James raises his fists to his teammates after a basketball exhibition match between the United States and South Sudan at the O2 Arena in London, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

American forward LeBron James looks on at his teammates during a basketball exhibition match between the United States and South Sudan, at the O2 Arena in London, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

American forward LeBron James attempts to score during an exhibition basketball match between the United States and South Sudan, at the O2 Arena in London, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

American LeBron James throws a signed gold ball after his team won an exhibition basketball game against Serbia during the USA Basketball Showcase ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic basketball tournament in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

LeBron James of the United States poses for a photo with a fan after an exhibition basketball game between Serbia and the United States during the USA Basketball Showcase ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic basketball tournament in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

LeBron James (center) of the United States looks on as the Australian national anthem is played before a game against Australia during the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, July 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

U.S. forward LeBron James watches the game from the bench during the second half of a basketball exhibition game against Canada, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)