Lebron James and Coco Gauff to Share Honor at 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony

We are now just hours away from the start of the Summer Games! Athletes from all over the world have made their way to Paris, France in order to compete and represent their respective country. Speaking of representing, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Lebron James and tennis player Coco Gauff will Share a Honor at the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday morning/afternoon.

What type of honor? Well, the two sports stars have been named the Team USA flag bearers for the Olympic Opening Ceremony. This is not something that every athlete gets to do when they attend the games. But thanks to some rules changes, more athletes will get to have this experience and distinction moving forward in the coming years.

For those of you like us, who like digging into sports history. Here’s a few fun facts. Going from 1908 to the 2022 Beijing Olympics; there have been a total of 55 Team USA bearers. With Coco Gauff and Lebron James being chosen for the 2024 Paris Olympics, this will raise the tally to 57.

Additionally, we did mention that there had been some changes to rules. You see… having two emblem bearers for one country is a new development. Back in the day, only one athlete from each participating nation was chosen to walk and parade while bearing representation of their country for the Opening Ceremony; that is until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In 2020 a rule change which allowed for one male and one female athlete to carry out the distinction.

Lebron James and Coco Gauff to Share Honor at 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony

To get the opportunity at the Olympics to be a bearer you have to be voted into the position. Therefore, it is all of the sports peers of Lebron and Coco that has selected them to carry out this ceremony job. Lebron and Coco are both happy about this news. James states,

“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. 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.”

What about Gauff? She writes, “I just want to say thank you to my fellow Team USA olympians/athletes for voting and choosing me for this incredible honor for the opening ceremony. Thank you so much. I am incredibly honored.”

Nice. The opening ceremony will begin Friday, July 26, at 10:30 a.m. PT/ 1:30 p.m. ET. It is expected to last approximately 4.5 hours on NBC.

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