Dawn Staley Pens Valuable Advice for Coco Gauff and LeBron James, Courtesy of Special Olympic Experience From 20 Years Ago

The legendary head coach Dawn Staley has reached Paris and is not wasting any time to cheer for her country and its players. Though Staley’s last Olympic appearance as a player came in 2004, there is no doubt that the three-time Olympic gold medalist has enough experience that can be helpful for the current representatives of the USA.

With Staley’s recent post on her X account, she makes clear that she won’t hesitate to give suggestions even to the flag bearers of Team USA. Staley, who arrived at the opening ceremony as a part of the Presidential delegation, tweeted, “Hey @CocoGauff @KingJames !  Congrats on being our flag bearers!  Btw yall look great? Hold the flag straight…no dipping. 🥰🥰🥰Permanent smile….you’re not going to be able to anything else but smile because it is the coolest and most unreal feeling ever! Enjoy the moment!”

This advice doesn’t come from just anyone but from an athlete who has proven herself time and again back when she used to don the court. The retired hooper, Staley, has done wonders with the United States women’s national basketball team, clinching three Olympic gold medals from 1996 to 2004 during her playing career. During her last appearance on the big stage, Staley also made history as first US basketball player to carry the flag. 

Her success didn’t stop there; she also led Team USA to gold as their head coach in 2021. Her name is also in the history books for being the first person to win the Naismith Award both as a player and as a coach; a valuable her experience both of the flag bearers can’t just ignore it.

Team USA flag bearers at Paris Olympics

Earlier, tennis star Coco Gauff along with basketball legend LeBron James were named as flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony. Currently ranked No. 2 in the WTA, Coco Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, is gearing up for her Olympic debut at the Paris Games. In an exciting first, she also became the first tennis player to carry the U.S. flag. 

Walking alongside Gauff, LeBron James, becomes the third basketball player to don the role. The 39-year-old hooper is set to make his fourth appearance in the Olympics. Having won gold medals back in 2008 and 2012, this moment is especially significant for him, as it could be his last appearance on this grand stage. 

The two lead a team of over 500 athletes representing the nation across 46 states and 32 sports. Their vessel becomes the penultimate to sail in to mark the next Olympic cycle when Los Angeles takes on the torch to host 2028 games.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the ‘Dual Threat Show’ as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.