Being chosen as the leading flag bearer, representing the country’s sports, is always a noble honor for any athlete participating in the Olympics. The American sports delegation also selected one male athlete and one female athlete out of 592 names attending the 2024 Paris Olympics to be the flag bearers at the opening ceremony.
In particular, the identity of the male athlete is world-famous basketball star LeBron James. Why did “King James” receive this honor?
Who will carry the flag to lead the American sports team at the 2024 Olympics
- Male flag bearer : LeBron James
- Female flag bearer: Coco Gauff
On July 21, the American sports delegation announced that LeBron James would be the male flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics. James and his teammate are the second male and female couple to have this honor at the Olympics. The first couple to share this honor is Sue Bird – WNBA star and Eddy Alvarez – who won Olympic medals in both speed skating and baseball.
LeBron James is the first male basketball player to take on the role of flag bearer for an American sports team. If considering women’s basketball, he is the third person, after Bird (2021) and Dawn Staley (2000).
Why was LeBron James chosen as the flag bearer?
With his legendary contributions to the NBA in particular as well as American basketball in general, LeBron James was elected by his colleagues in the American Sports Union to receive this honor.
The above move is also a beautiful tribute to James’ contributions to the country’s sports scene. It’s somewhat understandable, because this is the 4th Olympics that this 39-year-old thrower has participated in – and certainly the last Olympics.
Previously, LeBron James contributed to two Olympic gold medals for the US in 2008 and 2012. In addition to the quest to win a gold medal, the Los Angeles Lakers star still has another goal: to become the second-highest point scorer. 2 for the US at the Olympics.
United States Olympic Committee Director Sarah Hirshland said: “Being selected by my peers to serve as a flag bearer is a proud honor – and a tribute to the passion and dedication that LeBron brought basketball and American sports.”
List of American athletes holding the Olympic flag
| Year | Athlete | Competition |
| 1908 | Ralph Rose | Athletics |
| 1912 | George Bonhag | Athletics |
| 1920 | Patrick McDonald | Athletics |
| 1924 | Patrick McDonald | Athletics |
| 1928 | Lemuel (Bud) Houser | Athletics |
| 1932 | F. Morgan Taylor | Athletics |
| 1936 | Alfred Jochim | Gymnastics |
| 1948 | Ralph Craig | Sailboat racing |
| 1952 | Norman Armitage | Fencing |
| 1956 | Norman Armitage | Fencing |
| Warren Wooford | Race | |
| 1960 | Rafer Johnson | Athletics |
| 1964 | William Parry O’Brien | Athletics |
| 1968 | Janice Lee Romany | Fencing |
| 1972 | Olga Fikotova Connolly | Athletics |
| 1976 | Gary Hall | Swimming |
| 1984 | Edward Burke | Athletics |
| 1988 | Evelyn Ashford | Athletics |
| 1992 | Francie Larrieu Smith | Athletics |
| 1996 | Bruce Baumgartner | Weight door |
| 2000 | Cliff Meidl | Canoe/Kayak |
| 2004 | Dawn Staley | Basketball |
| 2008 | Lopez Lomong | Athletics |
| 2012 | Mariel Zagunis | Fencing |
| 2016 | Michael Phelps | Swimming |
| 2020 | Eddy Alvarez | Baseball |
| Sue Bird | Basketball | |
| 2024 | LeBron James | Basketball |
| Coco Gauff | Tennis |
The 1956 Olympics were a special case. Horse racing had to take place in Stockholm, Sweden instead of Melbourne, because host Australia at that time had extremely strict immigration laws for horses. As a result, Norman Armitage is the flag bearer for the American sports delegation in Melbourne, while Warren Wooford represents the country of flags in Stockholm.
SEE MORE: US basketball team squad for Paris 2024 Olympics: Match schedule, latest updated list
