DPA
Paris
Basketball superstar LeBron James has been named as one of the two United States flag bearers for Friday’s opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
James, 39, was announced by Team USA on Monday, making him the first men’s basketball player from the nation to be chosen for the honour.
The Los Angeles Lakers star won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, bronze at his debut in 2004.
Paris will be his fourth Olympics, and he found out about the honour in London where the star-studded US team was set to play a tune-up match against world champions Germany on Monday night.
“It’s an incredible honour to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” he said. “Sports have the power to bring us all together, and I’m proud to be a part of this important moment.”
The female flag bearer for the 592-strong US team is to be announced on Tuesday.
The International Olympic Committee decided ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Games that each nation should no longer have one flag bearer but two, a man and a woman.
