Coco Gauff Named Team USA’s Female Flag Bearer, Excited to Meet LeBron James

World number 2 tennis player Coco Gauff shares her excitement about being Team USA’s female flag bearer and looks forward to meeting LeBron James at the Olympics.

(CNN)- Coco Gauff, the world number 2 in women’s tennis, has been named Team USA’s female flag bearer for the upcoming Olympics, a role she described as an incredible honor. In an interview with CNN’s Coy Wire, Gauff shared her reaction to the announcement and her excitement about the opportunity to carry the flag alongside NBA superstar LeBron James.

Gauff revealed her initial surprise at the news. “At this point, I just thought Chris [Eubanks] was doing a little bit too much talking,” Gauff said, referring to her teammate’s reaction before the official announcement. “Once I got told that I was gonna be flag bearer, I was just shocked and didn’t really know what to say.”

As she prepares for the opening ceremony, Gauff is particularly looking forward to meeting LeBron James, who will also serve as a flag bearer. “I don’t know when I’m gonna meet him, but I’m already stressed about it,” she admitted. “I’ve never met him before, and I’m excited to meet him and flag bear alongside him. There’s no other athlete I would have chosen to do this with.”

Reflecting on the role of sports in uniting people, Gauff emphasized the positive impact that athletes can have. “I just hope that me being a person representing Team USA, and I think all of the Olympians on Team USA would agree, we all just want to promote positivity through our game and through our sport. We want to show our passion and share that with our supporters, hoping for a lot of success too.”