LeBron James is on Friday to carry the US flag, but first, he had to carry the US men’s basketball team — again.
James on Monday scored the final 11 points for the Americans down the stretch, and the four-time reigning Olympic gold medalists held off FIBA Basketball World Cup champions Germany 92-88 in London in their final tune-up before the Paris Games start later this week.
Announced earlier in the day as the male flagbearer for the US in Friday night’s opening ceremony down the Seine River — the female flagbearer was to be revealed yesterday — James came through time and again down the stretch, just as he did over the weekend when his layup with 8 seconds left gave the US a 101-100 win over upstart South Sudan.
Photo: AP
James had 20 points for the US, while Joel Embiid scored 15, Stephen Curry had 13 and Anthony Edwards finished with 11.
“It was a good test for us, and I’m glad we were able to once again, you know, keep our composure, persevere like we did the other day versus South Sudan,” James said. “It was a good win for us.”
Franz Wagner led Germany with 18 points. Andreas Obst — the hero of last year’s German win over the US in the World Cup semi-finals — had 14, while Dennis Schroder had a 13-point, 10-assist night. Daniel Theis added 13 for Germany and Moritz Wagner scored 12.
The Americans finished their exhibition slate 5-0, but there was only one game that was a true cakewalk. That was against Serbia, the team that is to face the US on Sunday in the first Olympic game this summer for both teams.
Canada gave the US issues at times, Australia came from way back to make things interesting at the end, South Sudan nearly pulled off an upset as a 43.5-point underdog and the Germans had the lead over the US with 4 minutes left on Monday.
Then it was James’ time. He outscored Germany 11-6 by himself in the final 3:57.
Now, Paris awaits. The games start for real this weekend.
“We’ve had every experience,” Curry said. “Now it’s obviously a matter of showing up when the lights are bright next week. I think we’re ready. I think we’re prepared. Now we have to perform.”
First-time Olympian Curry, on behalf of the US men’s team, nominated James for the flagbearer role.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said in the nomination video.
James becomes the third basketball player — and the first men’s player — to carry the US flag at the start of an Olympics, joining Dawn Staley for the Athens Games in 2004 and Sue Bird for the Tokyo Games in 2021.
“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,” James said. “Sports have the power to bring us all together, and I’m proud to be a part of this important moment.”
The 39-year-old — a global icon, a four-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer set to go into his record-tying 22nd NBA season — is set to play in the Olympics for the fourth time, after he was part of US teams that won bronze in 2004, gold at Beijing in 2008 and gold again in London in 2012.
He walked in the opening ceremony at each of his three previous Olympics. This time, he would float down the Seine with thousands of athletes in a flotilla sailing at sunset toward the Eiffel Tower, with about 320,000 guests set to watch from the river bank.
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