LeBron James Will Be The Standard-Bearer For The United States | Sports

LeBron James wasn’t entirely sure what the opening ceremony theme would be when he was selected to compete in his first Olympics in 2004.

Now he will be one of the main stars of the show.

James was selected by his fellow U.S. delegation members to be the U.S. flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday night, becoming the third basketball player and first male player to carry the U.S. flag at the start of the Olympics event, joining Dawn Staley, who did so in Athens in 2004, and Sue Bird, who will be the flag bearer in Tokyo in 2021.

“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this world stage, especially at a time when the world is coming together,” James said. “For a boy from Akron, this responsibility means everything, not just to me, but to my family, all the kids in my hometown, my teammates and delegation and so many people across the country with great aspirations. “Sports has the power to bring us together and I’m proud to be a part of this important moment.”

James, 39, was told of the honor of carrying the flag on Monday in London, just hours before the U.S. men’s team plays a pre-Olympic friendly against World Cup champion Germany.

Fellow teammate and first-time Olympian Stephen Curry, on behalf of the U.S. men’s team, nominated James for the role of flag bearer.

“We understand the great honor of being in this position, and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself that he is deserving of this honor,” Curry said in the nomination video.

“He embodied what it means to be great on and off the court in his commitment to serving and uplifting the community in every way he knew how, it was a lifelong passion,” Curry added. “And the work speaks for itself.”

The U.S. flag bearer is expected to be unveiled tomorrow. The International Olympic Committee decided in 2020 that national delegations will have two flag bearers (a man and a woman) at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, a move to promote gender equality. The United States is expected to field about 600 athletes at the Paris Games, about 53 percent of whom will be women.