LeBron James will soon add another achievement to his legendary career: Olympic flag bearer. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer was chosen by his fellow American athletes to carry the flag for the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics later this month.
“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 in a statement. “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.”
James is not the only NBA player to earn that honor this year. Giannis Antetokounmpo will carry the flag for Greece, while Dennis Schroder will do so for Germany. All three will enjoy the unique opportunity to lead their country’s delegation via boat, as this year’s opening ceremony is set to take place on the Seine, a 483-mile river that flows through the heart of Paris.
Ahead of this year’s festivities, which get underway on July 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET, here’s a look at every NBA and WNBA player that has been a flag bearer for their country at the Olympics.
Carlos Arroyo, Puerto Rico (2004)
Arroyo spent a decade in the NBA, but is perhaps best remembered for one game at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, when he led Puerto Rico to a stunning upset over Team USA in the group stage. Prior to that game, he had been the flag bearer for Puerto Rico at the opening ceremony.
Miranda Ayim, Canada (2021)
Ayim’s WNBA career only lasted three games during the 2011 season, but she was a stalwart for the Canadian women’s national team during her career. She was rewarded for her service during the Tokyo Olympics when she became the first basketball player to carry the flag for the country.
Sue Bird, USA (2021)
The WNBA’s all-time assists leader carried the flag for the United States in Tokyo in 2021, then helped Team USA win its seventh consecutive gold medal. Bird has five gold medals to her name, tied for the most by any basketball player in Olympic history.
Pau Gasol, Spain (2012)
The Hall of Famer led Spain’s procession at the 2012 games in London and remains the only basketball player to earn that honor in the country’s long history. Gasol led Spain to a silver medal that year, one of three medals he won at the Olympics during his storied career.
Andrew Gaze, Australia (2000)
When the Olympics reached Sydney in 2000, Andrew Gaze led his fellow Australians on that historic day. While he only ever appeared in 26 games in his NBA career, he won a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999 and was a legend in his native country. He won seven MVP awards in the NBL and remains the league’s all-time leading scorer.
Manu Ginobili, Argentina (2008)
Since the “Dream Team” changed the course of basketball history forever at the 1992 Olympics, only one country other than the United States has won a gold medal in men’s basketball: Argentina. Manu Ginobili was the main man on the Argentine squad that stunned Team USA in 2004 and was rewarded by being named the flag bearer for the next summer games in Beijing in 2008.
Rui Hachimura, Japan (2021)
When Tokyo hosted the Olympics in 2021 — pushed back from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — the Japanese men’s national basketball team made its first Olympic appearance since 1976. Rui Hachimura had the honor of leading his country into the opening ceremony that year. After Yuta Watanabe’s departure, Hachimura is the only Japanese player in the NBA.
Lauren Jackson, Australia (2012)
Jackson has won four WNBA MVP awards and three NBL MVPs and is the leading scorer in Olympic women’s basketball history. In 2012, she was selected as the flag bearer to lead Australia into the London Olympics, where she helped them win the bronze medal. Now 43 years old, Jackson is back for a fifth Olympic appearance after coming out of retirement a few years ago.
Sarunas Jasikevicius, Lithuania (2008)
Jasikevicius only spent two seasons in the NBA, but he had a long and storied career overseas, both on a club and international level. In 2000, he helped Lithuania win the bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics, and a few years later, in 2008, he was named the country’s flag bearer for the Beijing Olympics.
Yi Jianlian, China (2012)
Jianlian’s NBA career didn’t quite go to plan, but he was a legend in his native China. There, he won five CBA MVP awards and six titles and helped his country qualify for the Olympics four times. Ahead of his third appearance in 2012, he was picked as a flag bearer for the London Games.
Andrei Kirilenko, Russia (2012)
In the post-Soviet era, the Russian national team has only won one Olympic medal. That was in London in 2012, when they took home bronze behind a heroic effort from Andrei Kirilenko. The former NBA All-Star and All-Defensive player was the flag bearer for Russia that year.
Patty Mills, Australia (2021)
Mills has had a long and successful NBA career and is renowned for his performances in an Australia jersey, when he seems to go up a level. At the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, he became the first Indigenous Australian to carry the country’s flag, then helped the Boomers capture their first Olympic medal by dropping 42 points in the bronze medal game.
Yao Ming, China (2004, 2008)
Yao Ming is the only basketball player in Olympic history to be a country’s flag bearer multiple times. He first did so in Athens in 2004, and then again in Beijing in 2008. Though he never won an Olympic medal with China, the eight-time NBA All-Star remains the best basketball player ever to emerge from the country and is now the president of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Dirk Nowitzki, Germany (2008)
While Germany has won gold medals at both the EuroBasket and World Cup, it has never finished on the podium at the Olympics. In fact, it has only qualified seven times, one of which came in 2008 thanks to Dirk Nowitzki. The future Hall of Famer carried the flag for his country in Beijing in 2008, which was their only Olympic qualification between 1992 and 2021.
Luis Scola, Argentina (2016)
One of the best players to ever put on an Argentine jersey, Scola was a key part of the teams that won gold in 2004 and bronze in 2008 — still the country’s only two Olympic medals in basketball. In honor of his contributions, he was named flag bearer for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Dawn Staley, USA (2004)
Staley, who is now building a dynasty as South Carolina’s head coach, was a three-time gold medalist during her playing career. In 2004 in Athens, she earned the distinct honor of being the first basketball player, male or female, to be the flag bearer for the United States.
Sonja Vasic, Serbia (2021)
Vasic (née Petrovic) is the only basketball player to ever be a flag bearer at the Olympics for Serbia, which she did at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Though the Serbians missed out on a medal that year, Vasic did previously lead the country to the bronze in 2016, which remains the only Olympic medal for the country in women’s basketball.
