LeBron James received one of the highest honors of his professional career Monday, and Steph Curry had a big hand in making it a reality.
The Los Angeles Lakers star will be one of Team USA's flag bearers during the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday along the Seine River, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Monday.
Curry nominated James for the role.
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"On behalf of myself and the entire Men's Olympic basketball team, we would like to nominate LeBron James to be the flag bearer for all of Team USA," Curry said in the video. "We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position, and I think LeBron's entire career on and off the court speak for itself as him being worthy of that honor.
"He started back in 2004 representing Team USA as an Olympic athlete and now in 2024, going for his fourth Olympic medal. His NBA career speaks for itself.
"But I think more than that, since 2004, he's represented what it means to be excellent, both on and off the court and his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how. It has been a life long passion, and the work speaks for itself.
"So between his, 'I Promise' school, the LeBron James Foundation and all that he's done to impact lives or not just in the US, but around the world, I think puts him in a position to be worthy of this honor, let alone the basketball [aspect].
Golden State Warriors
"So again, on behalf of myself and the entire team, we want to see him waving that flag."
Not only did Curry nominate James, he also was the one who got to tell the future Hall of Famer that he would be carrying the flag on Friday, doing so during a recent Team USA Men's Basketball meeting.
Curry, James and Team USA have one more Olympics tune-up game against Germany on Friday in London before they head to Paris.
After James leads the Team USA delegation for the Opening Ceremony, he will try to guide the Men's Basketball team, along with Curry, Kevin Durant and nine other NBA stars, to a gold medal.
Team USA will play three group stage games against Serbia on July 28, South Sudan on July 31 and Puerto Rico on Aug. 3. All the games will be played in Lille, France.
Curry and James have been NBA rivals for 15 years, but they are the Team USA's elder statesmen, linking up as teammates for the first time in a competition that means something.
If everything goes according to plan, Curry and James -- both born in the same Akron, Ohio hospital -- will come home next month with gold medals.
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