LONDON — LeBron James, soon to be competing in his fourth Olympic Games and seeking his third gold medal, will raise the Stars and Stripes on behalf of the U.S. delegation along the Seine River during the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a news release Monday that James was selected to carry the flag from among about 600 members of the U.S. team. Women were also selected, and the committee said the results of the vote were expected to be announced on Tuesday.
“It is an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage at this moment when the world is coming together,” said James, 39, whose popularity is surging overseas as the face of the NBA and the sport’s all-time leading scorer.
“As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything not only to me, but to my family, local kids, teammates, fellow Olympians and so many people across the country who have big aspirations,” he said. “Sports has the power to bring us all together and I’m proud to be a part of this important moment.”
Two other U.S. basketball players have served as flag bearers: Sue Bird in 2021 and Dawn Staley in 2004. Stephen Curry, who will be playing in his first Olympic Games, is also a candidate.
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James was a member of the 2004 Olympic team that placed third in Greece and was co-captain of the 2008 Redeem Team that launched the U.S. men’s current four-peat Olympic gold medal streak. He last played in the Olympics in London in 2012, and he and the current U.S. team are scheduled to play an exhibition match against Germany on Monday night.
James is Team USA’s all-time leading assist leader, a four-time NBA champion, a four-time league MVP and the most appearances in the All-Star Game in history (20).
“We watch with great pride as our flag bearers lead their athletes on an incredible journey together,” USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said in a statement.
The Olympic opening ceremony, the first to be held outside a stadium, will begin at 7:30pm in Paris (1:30pm in New York) and be broadcast live on NBC, with the delegation leaving on barges down the river at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
The USOPC said it expects more than 350 of the 592 U.S. athletes to attend the ceremony.
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(Photo: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images)
