I know I read that. I still think it's unfortunate. Team USA should just pick someone - Lebron is uber popular, not surprising he'd win a popularity vote among athletes.
If this was team canada and winter olympics, I'm sure Sidney Crosby would probably win an athlete vote. But it'd be better for it to be a non-professional athlete imo
The US HAS someone else, Coco Gauff, who is a pro tennis player.
In the past, lot of Track and Field athletes were US flag bearers. In 1960, it was Rafer Johnson.
In 1964, it was Perry O'Brien. He was the first person in the shot put to make a 180-degree turn.
In 1984, it was hammer thrower Ed Burke. In 1988, it was Evelyn Ashford, the 1988 100M Gold Medal winner. There have been some wrestlers and a swimmer named Phelps in 2016 for the opening ceremony and a gymnast named Biles for the closing ceremony.