The 2024 Olympics are days away, kicking off on Friday, July 26. As fans around the world anticipate who will win the gold, LeBron James is already celebrating an Olympic milestone; this week, Team USA announced James will serve as the men’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony, making him the first men’s basketball player to hold the title.
“Leading the way for Team USA. Two-time Olympic gold medalist @KingJames has been selected as our men’s flag bearer for the #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony,” Team USA captioned an Instagram post announcing the news.
“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 added in a statement. “For a kid from Akron, [Ohio,] 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.”
However, for the two-time gold medalist and NBA champion, the nomination was particularly special as it came from his Team USA teammate, Stephen Curry.
“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,” Curry said in a nomination video. “We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position, and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself of him being worthy of that honor. He has represented what it means to be excellent, both on and off the court, and his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways…And the work speaks for itself.”
“We are thrilled to announce LeBron James as one of two flag bearers who will lead Team USA,” Sarah Hirshland, CEO of United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, said in a statement. “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.”
In an Instagram video, James is seen receiving the news in a room surrounded by his Olympic teammates, including Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, and others.
“Being a kid, we all come from different walks of life, different cities, different upbringings. [I] think the last thing on our minds was ever carrying a flag to represent our country during the Olympics. So it was never a thought, it was never a dream, but it’s an absolute honor,” James told his teammates in the video. “To be able to share that moment with you guys, it’s gonna make it even more memorable…Team USA has given so much to all of us, to me, over the last 20 years. Understand right now in a country that’s so divided, I hope this moment will unite us, or bring us together, even if it’s for those split seconds or those hours that we’re traveling across that water in Paris. So I’m holding that responsibility with a lot of honor.”
Having broken records within the NBA and helping Team USA win not one but two Olympic gold medals in recent games, James remains humble as he prepares to compete in his fourth Olympics.
“Timing’s everything,” the basketball star previously told the Today show, “and I think — at this point in my career, I still, I have a lot to give, and Team USA has given a lot to me, so I feel like it’s an opportunity for me to give back.”