The United States were led into the Opening Ceremony at the Paris Olympics by a pair of flag-bearers: LeBron James and Coco Gauff. The future Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and the 20-year-old superstar in the world of tennis are at the opposite ends of their careers, but their fellow Olympians chose them to represent the Stars and Stripes.
This Opening Ceremony was a little different, because instead of all the athletes walking into a stadium, everyone was put on a boat that went through the River Seine, which cuts right through the city. It led to some absolutely breathtaking moments, which remained the case when Team USA showed up late in the evening in the driving rain.
The 594 athletes of Team USA have OFFICIALLY arrived at the #ParisOlympics! πΊπΈπ’ pic.twitter.com/WbtIvWJEEU
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 27, 2024
James held the flag up during this in what was both a really cool moment and something that the internet latched onto. While James is no stranger to getting meme’d, folks on Twitter ran with this one and kept making jokes comparing him to the famous painting of George Washington leading American troops to cross the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War.
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) July 26, 2024
General Lebron James crossing the Delaware pic.twitter.com/NBhGaehd2C
— Drea Blackwell (@KSBWDrea) July 26, 2024
Lebron πππππ pic.twitter.com/1szDoHzThn
— Aπ¦ (@itsYDG2) July 26, 2024
LeBron leading his army to battle (2024) pic.twitter.com/pCjooTca2M
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) July 26, 2024
Could George Washington have handled the pressure LeBron James endures in todayβs modern era?
NEXT on first take⦠pic.twitter.com/6QL8Dlrl0q
— Brett Hanfling (@Brett_Hanfling) July 26, 2024
LeBron leading us into battle like George Washington crossing the Delaware #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/jOjnDRuzKO
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) July 26, 2024
why is lebron holding the flag giving that painting of george washington crossing the delaware river lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/UmNTSQ8TUZ
— dolly looks in peoples windows (@dollylorr) July 27, 2024
1776 – Washington 2024 – LeBron pic.twitter.com/iY2TKrKyLV
— BronMuse (@BronMuse) July 26, 2024
LeBron Jamesβ¦
aka LeGOAT James..
aka King James..
aka Captain LeMerica.. no better choice to be the face of American sportsβ¦.The Greatest American since George Washingtonβ¦. pic.twitter.com/iMh7lJkVzg
— LeGOAT James (@LBJgoat_talk) July 26, 2024
LeBron was on his George Washington out there πΊπΈ pic.twitter.com/WJbvR1ZSrL
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) July 26, 2024
The patriotism on display was off the charts.
Nah this is a hard pic of LeBron holding the flag. LeCaptain America pic.twitter.com/8WmNMR10AP
— LegendOfWinning (@LegendOfWinning) July 26, 2024
Telling my kids LeBron was the president pic.twitter.com/0R1gfvCYhH
— Β²Β³π»ππ±ππππππππππβοΈππ (@BronGotGame) July 26, 2024
LeBron James looks like he just founded America pic.twitter.com/RZmyUjgen9
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) July 26, 2024
Lebron carrying the flag in the rain goes insanely hard. pic.twitter.com/EP2CKzKU6O
— Alex Predhome π₯₯π΄ (@Predamame) July 26, 2024
As for when we’ll see James turn in his Opening Ceremony outfit for his USA Basketball uniform, the men’s team will take the floor for the first time against Nikola Jokic and Serbia on Sunday.
