Roundup of NBA Players Who Served as Olympic Flag Bearers: Yao Ming Elected Twice, LeBron James the Oldest

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics is set to begin in the early hours of July 27. The flag bearers from various countries are a topic of much discussion among fans. This article rounds up NBA players who have served as flag bearers.

Sydney 2000 Olympics

Andrew Gaze (Australian flag bearer): The first NBA player to serve as an Olympic flag bearer, he played for the Bullets (the Wizards’ predecessor) and the Spurs.

Athens 2004 Olympics

Yao Ming (Chinese flag bearer): The first Chinese NBA athlete to serve as an Olympic flag bearer, he played for the Rockets and became an NBA All-Star at that time.

Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rican flag bearer): He played for the Pistons at the time and led Puerto Rico to defeat the US Dream Team Six in the 2004 Olympics.

Beijing 2008 Olympics

Yao Ming (Chinese flag bearer): Elected twice, he led the Rockets to consecutive playoff appearances and steered China into the Olympic quarterfinals on the national stage.

Dirk Nowitzki (German flag bearer): A top-tier NBA star and the core of the Mavericks, he won the NBA MVP in 2007.

Andrei Kirilenko (Russian flag bearer): One of the key players for the Utah Jazz, he consistently led the team to the second round of the playoffs as a powerhouse in the West.

Jasikevicius (Lithuanian flag bearer): A European superstar who played for the Pacers and the Warriors, he was the absolute core of the Lithuanian team.

Manu Ginóbili (Argentine flag bearer): One of the architects of the Spurs dynasty and a member of the famous GDP trio, his national team blocked the US from the finals in the 2004 Athens Olympics and ultimately won the gold medal.

London 2012 Olympics

Yi Jianlian (Chinese flag bearer): A high-draft pick who started for teams like the Bucks and Nets, he was the absolute core of the Chinese team in the 2012 Olympics.

Pau Gasol (Spanish flag bearer): An NBA All-Star who teamed up with Kobe Bryant to win back-to-back championships with the Lakers. On the national stage, he helped Spain win the 2006 World Championship and took silver in the 2008 Olympic final after losing to the US.

Rio 2016 Olympics

Luis Scola (Argentine flag bearer): He had a standout performance while playing for the Rockets and helped Argentina win the 2004 Olympic gold on the national stage.

Tokyo 2021 Olympics

Tomas Satoransky (Czech flag bearer): A key rotation player for the Wizards and Bulls, he led the Czech Republic into the Olympic main tournament as captain in 2020.

Patty Mills (Australian flag bearer): Having played in the NBA for many years, he was a valuable bench player for teams like the Spurs and Nets, and on the national stage, he was the absolute core of the Australian team.

Rui Hachimura (Japanese flag bearer): A high-draft pick and the absolute core of the Japanese men’s basketball team, he is currently a key player for the Lakers.

Paris 2024 Olympics

LeBron James (US flag bearer): The oldest flag bearer for the US men’s basketball team, with countless honors in the NBA, he is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greek flag bearer): A two-time MVP winner who helped the Bucks secure the 2021 championship; this will be his first appearance representing Greece in the Olympic main tournament.

Dennis Schröder (German flag bearer): The champion and MVP of the 2023 Men’s Basketball World Cup, a former Hawks core player, later moving to the Lakers, Raptors, and other teams, serving as a key rotation player in the NBA.