LeBron James has been chosen by his fellow Team USA athletes across all sports to serve as the flag bearer for the United States delegation at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. This distinction makes him the first male basketball player to carry the flag, following in the footsteps of Dawn Staley at the 2004 Athens Games and Sue Bird at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
On Friday, James will lead a flotilla of American athletes down the River Seine, the site of the historic opening ceremony. This honor adds to his impressive resume as a four-time NBA champion and the all-time leading scorer in the league, as he prepares for his fourth appearance in the Summer Games. His Olympic journey began at the age of 19 in 2004, and he has come a long way since then.
James described this moment as an “utmost honor” and emphasized its significance:
“It’s special to get an opportunity to represent your country in another fashion. I understand how prestigious this moment is… it will live on forever.”
The identity of the female U.S. flag bearer will be disclosed in the coming days. The International Olympic Committee introduced the practice of having two flag bearers, one male and one female, at the opening ceremony in 2020 to promote gender equality.
The U.S. is expected to send nearly 600 athletes to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% of them being women.
