How did LeBron James get chosen as Team USA’s opening ceremony flag bearer?

LeBron James has officially been chosen as flag bearer for the United States delegation during the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.

The four-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist was voted by a group of nearly 600 members of Team USA to be the men’s flag bearer during the Paris Games’ opening ceremony, which takes place on Friday, July 26.

James, 39, was nominated by his USA men’s basketball teammate Stephen Curry for the honor. “On behalf of myself and the entire men’s Olympic basketball team, we would like to nominate LeBron James to be the flag bearer for all of Team USA. We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position, and I think LeBron’s entire career on and off the court should speak for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said in a nominating video.

On Monday, Curry found the perfect way to inform the Ohio native that he will be serving as flag bearer during the televised event later this week. “You get to wave the flag in Paris, my man,” the Golden State Warriors star told James in a viral clip. As the entire men’s USA basketball team clapped for James, he held his hand to his chest and shook hands with his fellow athletes.

In a statement shared by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, James expressed how honored he felt to wave the American flag during the opening ceremony on the Seine River.

“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,” he said. “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 basketball star is set to compete in his fourth Olympics this summer. James helped lead the men’s USA basketball team to gold in both 2008 and 2012. He competed in his first Olympic Games in 2004 at just 19 years old, where he won a bronze medal.

James currently plays forward for the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2011, he launched the “I Promise Program” as part of his LeBron James Family Foundation, which has provided more than 1,400 Akron-area students with educational resources. With approval from Akron Public Schools, James officially opened the I Promise School in July 2018.

“We are thrilled to announce LeBron James as one of two flag bearers who will lead Team USA in the Opening Ceremony, and officially open the Paris 2024 Games,” said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. “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. We will watch with great pride as the flag bearers lead our athletes who are about to embark on a remarkable journey together.”

James becomes the first man and third member of USA Basketball to earn the honor of Team USA flag bearer, joining five-time Olympic champion Sue Bird (2020) and five-time Olympic gold medalist player and coach Dawn Staley (2004) as the only basketball players to receive the designation.

Meanwhile, tennis star Coco Gauff was selected on Tuesday as the female flag bearer for the US delegation alongside James. The 20-year-old US Open champion will be the first tennis player, as well as the youngest American, to carry the US flag at an Olympic opening ceremony. Gauff’s appearance at the Paris Olympics will also mark her debut as part of Team USA.

The 2024 Olympic Games kick off in Paris, France, on July 26 with an opening ceremony along the Seine River. The event will air live from Paris at 1:30pm ET on Friday. The USA men’s basketball team will play its first Olympic game against Serbia on July 27, one day after the opening ceremony.