Five American candidates who could light cauldron at 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

PARIS − Being selected as your country’s flag bearer is a very distinguished honor. LeBron James was rightfully chosen to be the men’s flag bearer for Team USA. James, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, a four-time champion, four-time MVP and could soon add three-time Olympic gold medalist, is the best basketball player of his generation. He’s universally recognized as the first- or second-best basketball player ever.

“It’s an absolute honor,” James said about being Team USA’s flag bearer, via USA Basketball. “I appreciate it man. Team USA has given so much to all of us and to me over the last 20 years. I understand right now in a country so divided, I hope this moment and that moment will unite us or bring us together. …I will hold that responsibility with a lot of honor and just appreciate it.”

Now that James can add flag bearer to his already Hall of Fame resume, should the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Organizing committee eye James to light the cauldron at the 2028 Games?

Get Olympics updates in your texts! Join USA TODAY Sports' WhatsApp Channel

The late Rafer Johnson, a gold medalist in the decathlon, lit the cauldron when the Summer Olympics were previously in Los Angeles in 1984. Muhammad Ali famously was coined to light the torch at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

Who will get the honor in 2028? It’s not too soon to start thinking about possible choices. USA TODAY Sports selects the top five candidates to light the torch at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Michael Jordan

A six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP and five-time MVP, Jordan’s resume speaks for itself. He’s one of the biggest icons in sports history, if not the biggest.

Jordan is regarded by many as the best basketball player ever and he has two Olympic gold medals, including a 1992 gold medal as the leading member on the Dream Team.

Jordan seems like a logical choice. He was tabbed as North America’s best athlete of the 20^th century by ESPN.

Not to mention, his Jordan Brand still remains as a mega force in sports fashion.

LeBron James

James was selected by his Team USA peers to be the men’s flag bearer for the U.S. at the Paris Olympics. He’s the first men’s basketball ever to be selected.

The 39-year-old NBA superstar is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time MVP and 20-time NBA All Star. Plus, the all-time NBA scoring champion.

James is already a part of Los Angeles history having won one of his four titles as a Laker and he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in a purple and gold uniform.

Michael Phelps

A compelling argument can be made for Phelps to light the torch. He’s the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 career medals. He also holds the Olympic record for most total gold medals (23).

Phelps competed in five total Olympics. He was selected as the Team USA flag bearer for the 2016 Olympics.

Serena Williams

Williams won 23 Grand Slam titles, the second most all time. She regarded as the best women’s tennis player ever. But she also won four Olympic gold medals (three in doubles and one in singles).

The retired tennis star also started playing tennis early on in Los Angeles-suburb Compton, which adds to the intrigue.

Tiger Woods

Golf had only been an Olympic sport twice (1900 and 1904) prior to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The past three Olympics have featured golf, but Woods hasn’t been among the participants.

The lack of Olympic participation will likely hurt Woods’ chances to light the torch, but there’s no denying he is one of the best golfers in the history or the sport and one of its most dominant athletes with 15 professional major golf championships.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.