By Madie Chandler | @madie_chandler
Sports Capital Journalism Program
PARIS — Tennis superstar Coco Gauff will be the USA’s female flag bearer as she leads her country on a cruise down the Seine River to officially open the Olympic Games. Beside her, 19 years her senior and standing over a foot above her, LeBron James will bear the same weight.
“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 Team USA 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.”
Stephen Curry, a USA Basketball teammate, recognized the significance. “He started his Team USA journey back in ‘04, so it’s been 20 years,” Curry said Thursday. “…And for all of us to understand the moment, that’s another piece of symbolism of what we’re trying to do here.”
James, twice a gold medalist and now a four-time Olympian, earned the honor via an athlete vote. Gauff did the same, first nominated by tennis team captain Chris Eubanks, who Gauff has known since the age of 7.
“We’ve seen her from a super young age with a lot of expectation,” Eubanks said about Gauff. “…The way she’s handled all of the notoriety, the success, the ups and downs of the tour that she’s experienced, she’s handled it all with class.
“I think people are starting to kind of see her for more than just a tennis player,” he said. “And I think that’s one of the major things that being flagbearer represents. Not just your accomplishments on the court. What you bring to the world.”
James and Gauff are active outside of their respective sports. The LeBron James Family Foundation invests in education and other initiatives to bring change to James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio.
“What an honor,” USA men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr said before practice. “[He’s] so deserving. The impact he has had on the basketball court, more importantly in his community…He’s using his platform, using his resources to help people.”
Gauff utilizes her platform and success in similar ways. In 2021, Gauff became a global ambassador for UNICEF, and has donated tournament winnings to other philanthropic organizations in the past. This is Gauff’s first Olympic experience due to a positive COVID-19 test that prevented her from competing in the Tokyo Games. The news that she’d been nominated to carry the Stars and Stripes down the Seine brought her to tears.
“I have big goals,” Gauff said at a press conference. “And I have a lot of goals that I want to accomplish, and honestly flag bearer was one of those things that I just never thought would happen.”
