LeBron James is Team USA's male flag bearer at 2024 Paris Olympics
LeBron James will be one of Team USA's two flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics this Friday.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Monday that James, who is headed to his fourth and likely final Games, will be the team's male flag bearer.
The USOPC said its female flag bearer would be announced Tuesday. For decades, participating nations were forced to choose only one athlete to carry their flag at ceremonies; but at Tokyo 2021, the International Olympic Committee began allowing each to choose two flag bearers — one man and one woman.
James, who missed the last two Olympics, was chosen by his fellow athletes. The USOPC said that its Athletes' Commission led a voting process, placing the decision in the hands of the 592 members of Team USA.
In Tokyo, the first American flag-bearing duo was Eddie Alvarez and Sue Bird.
James will be the third basketball player to carry Team USA's flag at an Olympic Opening Ceremony (after Bird and Dawn Staley), but the first man.
He is seeking his fourth Olympic medal and third gold. His introduction to the Games came in 2004, when the U.S. men stumbled to bronze. But he helped lead the 2008 "Redeem Team" and the 2012 team to gold. He then declined to play in 2016 and 2021; the U.S. won both golds without him. As a team, they are seeking their fifth consecutive Olympic title.
And they are among the headliners of these Paris Olympics. That James was voted to carry the U.S. flag reinforces that point.
“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,” James said in a statement. “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 unprecedented Opening Ceremony, held on and along the River Seine in the heart of Paris, is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. ET, NBC) on Friday.
In the Parade of Nations — a procession of boats down the Seine — the U.S. will be second-to-last, as the host of the next Summer Games (Los Angeles 2028). More than 350 U.S. athletes are expected to participate.
