After LeBron James, Former Teammate Dennis Schroder to Carry German Flag at Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony

Following LeBron James, Dennis Schroder, a former teammate of James with the Los Angeles Lakers, will have the honor of carrying the German flag at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Ten months ago, Schroder led the German basketball team to victory at the FIBA World Cup 2023. Now, the former Los Angeles Lakers player will be given one of the highest honors in national team sports.

Dennis Schroder will become the first Black athlete to carry the German flag at the Olympic opening ceremony, a distinction confirmed on the morning of July 24. “I want to thank everyone, including those who chose me for this honor. I am very grateful and appreciate it very much,” Schroder said.

“To be the first Black athlete to carry the German flag at the Olympic opening ceremony is truly a great privilege. I’m at a loss for words because this feeling is indescribable. I will carry the flag with the utmost respect and pride.”

Schroder will be the second basketball player at the 2024 Olympics to lead their delegation with the national flag at the opening ceremony. Previously, superstar LeBron James was chosen to carry the flag for the United States on the evening of July 22.

Like LeBron, Dennis Schroder was selected for this honor by his fellow athletes. He surpassed other notable athletes such as Alexander Zverev (Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in tennis) and shooting sports athlete Christian Reitz.

In addition to his NBA career, Dennis Schroder has been the captain of the German national basketball team for the past three years, competing in major European (FIBA EuroBasket) and global tournaments.

During the FIBA World Cup 2023, Schroder and his teammates made history by winning Germany’s first-ever World Cup title. Schroder was also named the tournament’s MVP.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Schroder will continue as the captain of “Die Mannschaft,” aiming to improve Germany’s standing at the Games. In six previous Olympic appearances, Germany’s best finish in basketball was 7th place in 1992. At Tokyo 2021, the German team advanced past the group stage thanks to a third-place finish in the best-record category. However, they were defeated 94–70 by Slovenia in the quarterfinals, ultimately finishing in 8th place.