4 WNBA Players Who Have Been Flag Bearers at the Olympics

The 2024 edition of the Olympics in Paris will present a very proud basketball moment. Just like the previous time, the country’s flag bearer is selected from the professional domains of the sport. Seemingly, LeBron James now becomes only the third American basketball player who will be the proud representative of the country’s Olympic contention. Speaking of pride, those were the exact emotions of a WNBA fan as his predecessors appear to be some very popular names from that division.

A wait of 16 years and 4 Olympics was finally over when millions of Americans saw Sue Bird leading the charge at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Probably because after Dawn Staley in 2004 and Lauren Jackson in 2012, she became only the third eminent women’s basketball athlete chosen for the ultimate honor. But, how did the moment exactly transpire for these iconic athletes? Let’s dive in to find out!

Dawn Staley etching her name in the history books

It took 100 years for the United States to recognize that a Basketball athlete is worthy enough to headline an Olympic Opening Ceremony. And how fitting of an occasion it turned out to be for Dawn Staley, who became the first one bestowed with such a responsibility. After fulfilling the gold medal aspirations of the entire country on the two previous occasions in Atlanta (1996) and in Sydney (2000), the 6× WNBA All-Star appeared on the back of an illustrious career in the sport. Following this, she kept her gold medal streak alive in a 74-63 victory over Australia in the Finals and paved the way for her to take the gold podium in Athens.

A national high school player of the year during her high school days, Staley made quite a name for herself in the NCAA for the Cavaliers. However, it was her professional exhibition in Europe and the WNBA that ultimately made valid grounds for her to be a part of the Olympic women’s basketball team back-to-back. Eventually, she hung up her playing boots after spending 8 long seasons with the Charlotte Sting. Anyhow, that didn’t mean the end of her Olympic story.

Nine years after taking the job of head coach of the Gamecocks, she played an instrumental part in South Carolina grabbing their very first national championship. This along with 5 SEC regular season championships fulfilled the credentials for her to coach Team USA in the 2020 Olympics. This turned out to be quite special as the spectacle presented the USA’s second Basketball flag bearer.

Sue Bird ending the 16-year drought

After winning a gold medal every time she stepped inside an Olympic basketball court, fellow Team USA athletes were convinced that Veteran Sue Bird would be the next name in this exclusive list. On top of that, she along with fellow Olympian Eddy Alvarez became the first duo to lead a delegation of 613 US athletes after the International Olympic Committee’s amended policy allowing national teams to have two flag bearers each. The choice although might not be obvious, but certainly a deserving one.

A total of 9 international gold medals are a testament to the legacy she created in the sport. Consequently, these honors made her the most decorated basketball athlete, male or female in the world. Moreover, her resume comprised 4 WNBA titles with Seattle Storm. As a result, Sue Bird was one of only 11 players to have an Olympic gold medal, FIBA World Cup gold medal, WNBA title, and a national championship in her trophy cabinet.

The aforementioned basketball stars are today household names in the country. But, there were others who showcased their talents in the WNBA and were proud representatives of their respective countries.

Other flag bearers who were a part of the WNBA

Being the top professional basketball league, the WNBA often brings in talents from around the world. That’s how two other proud representatives– Lauren Jackson of Australia and Sonja Vasic of Serbia — came to be WNBA stars. Jackson retired previously without getting any gold for her country. Nevertheless, one of the best basketball players in the world did become the highest scorer in the history of the Olympics.

While she has retired, the 43-year-old will return to Paris once more. Previously, she became the flag-bearer for Australia in 2012. This was four years after her 12-year-long stint with the Seattle Storm, where the 7x WNBL champion became 2x WNBA champion.

Apart from these three, Sonja Vasic, who time and again tried her hands in the WNBA, was also a flag bearer for her country in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The 3x Euroleague champion has brought the only bronze medal for Serbia in women’s basketball so far in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She was selected as the 26th overall pick in the 2009 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars. However, they waived her off. She returned to the league for one year in 2012 as a part of the Chicago Sky. Later, she spent 2016-18 with the Phoenix Mercury.

Certainly, the WNBA has many jewels in its crown. It will be interesting to see if we can bring the eighth consecutive gold medal this year. Until then, we have the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics where LeBron James from the USAMBT will be the flag bearer along with Coco Gauff of Tennis.

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