LeBron James selected as Team USA male flagbearer for Paris Olympics opening ceremony

PARIS, France -- LeBron James wasn't wholly definite what the opening ceremonial was each astir erstwhile helium was picked for his archetypal Olympics successful 2004.

This time, he'll beryllium 1 of the stars of the show.

James has been picked by his chap U.S. Olympians to service arsenic the antheral flagbearer for the Americans successful Friday night's opening ceremonial for the Paris Games. He becomes the 3rd hoops subordinate - and the archetypal men's subordinate - to transportation the U.S. emblem astatine the commencement of an Olympics, joining Dawn Staley for the Athens Games successful 2004 and Sue Bird for the Tokyo Games that happened successful 2021.

"It's an unthinkable grant to correspond the United States connected this planetary stage, particularly successful a infinitesimal that tin bring the full satellite together," James said. "For a kid from Akron, this work means everything to not lone myself, but to my family, each the kids successful my hometown, my teammates, chap Olympians and truthful galore radical crossed the state with large aspirations. Sports person the powerfulness to bring america each together, and I'm arrogant to beryllium a portion of this important moment."

The 39-year-old James got connection of the grant Monday successful London, a fewer hours earlier the U.S. men's squad was scheduled to play its last pre-Olympics accumulation crippled against World Cup champion Germany.

Fellow U.S. prima and first-time Olympian Stephen Curry, connected behalf of the U.S. men's team, nominated James for the flagbearer role.

"We recognize however overmuch of an grant it is to beryllium successful that presumption and I deliberation Bron's full career, connected and disconnected the court, speaks for itself arsenic him being worthy of that honor," Curry said successful the information video.

"He has represented what it means to beryllium fantabulous some connected and disconnected the tribunal successful his committedness to work and to uplifting the assemblage successful each ways that helium knows however has been a lifelong passion," Curry added. "And the enactment speaks for itself."

The pistillate U.S. flagbearer is expected to beryllium revealed Tuesday. The International Olympic Committee decided successful 2020 that nationalist delegations would person 2 flagbearers - 1 male, 1 pistillate - astatine the opening ceremonial astatine an Olympics, a determination to beforehand sex parity. The U.S. is expected to person astir 600 athletes successful the Paris Games, astir 53% of them female.

"Being selected by your teammates to transportation the emblem is simply a tremendous grant - and a testament to LeBron's passionateness for Team USA and his dedication to his sport," U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.

James - a planetary icon, a four-time NBA champion and the league's all-time starring scorer acceptable to spell into his record-tying 22nd NBA play - is acceptable to play successful the Olympics for the 4th time, aft helium was portion of U.S. teams that won bronze successful 2004, golden astatine Beijing successful 2008 and golden again successful London successful 2012. He walked successful the opening ceremonial astatine each of his 3 erstwhile Olympics.

This time, he'll float.

This volition beryllium an opening ceremonial similar nary different successful Olympic history: Thousands of athletes volition beryllium portion of a flotilla sailing on the River Seine astatine sunset toward the Eiffel Tower. It's a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route, with astir 320,000 guests acceptable to ticker from the stream slope and astir 1 cardinal more, Olympic officials estimate, watching connected televisions astir the world.

Not each Olympic athletes instrumentality portion successful the opening ceremony; galore skip it for logistical reasons, specified arsenic having to vie the pursuing day. James and the four-time defending golden medalist U.S. men don't unfastened Olympic play until Sunday, erstwhile they look Serbia astatine Lille, France.

James and the U.S. Olympians volition beryllium waiting longer than astir immoderate different federation for their travel connected the Seine. By IOC custom, Greece - which volition person NBA prima Giannis Antetokounmpo arsenic 1 of its 2 flagbearers - volition pb the procession, followed by the Refugee Olympic Team and past astir 200 much nationalist delegations. The U.S. is scheduled to spell next-to-last successful the procession, due to the fact that Los Angeles volition play big to the adjacent Summer Games successful 2028.

France, arsenic the host, volition beryllium the last federation successful the opening ceremonial procession. Its men's hoops team, featuring reigning NBA rookie of the twelvemonth Victor Wembanyama, opens Olympic play connected Saturday and isn't expected to beryllium contiguous for the opening ceremony.