LeBron James has been named as a flag bearer for Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony after being nominated by his peers with Steph Curry leading the way
02:00, 23 Jul 2024
Steph Curry nominated Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James to be the male flag bearer for Team USA at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.
Curry nominated his long-time rival, 39, on behalf of the Team USA squad, with his female counterpart to be announced on Tuesday. The two future Hall of Famers have spent years going head-to-head on the West Coast with the Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
The pair reportedly had a tense rivalry behind the scenes, unsurprising considering their multiple NBA Finals clashes between 2014 to 2018, where they faced off a whopping 22 times.
James was at his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, while Curry was one of the centrepieces of the Warriors' dream team, which also included Team USA's Kevin Durant. Curry and the Warriors won three out of four NBA Finals meetings against James and the Cavaliers.
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The NBA's all-time points scorer did manage to bring home an NBA Championship to Cleveland in 2016, though, as the Cavaliers beat the Warriors 4-3 with Team USA head coach Steve Kerr the opposing coach to James.
"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. Basketball icon LeBron James spoke of his pride at being chosen to carry his country's flag at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
"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," he added.
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USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland added: "We are thrilled to announce LeBron James as one of two flag bearers who will lead Team USA in the Opening Ceremony, and officially open the Paris 2024 Games," before going on to say: "Being selected by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honour and a testament to LeBron's passion for Team USA and his dedication to his sport. We will watch with great pride as the flag bearers lead our athletes who are about to embark on a remarkable journey together."
James, who will share flag bearing duties with fellow NBA superstar Steph Curry, inspired his country to a nail-biting 101-100 win over South Sudan on Saturday, scoring the game-winning basket with just eight seconds left on the clock.
Team USA, who next face a tough test against world champions Germany at London's O2 arena on Monday, could unleash their star trio of James, Curry and Durant for the first time in the tournament, with Durant having shaken off an injury sustained in June.