TOKYO (Japan) - Just when it seems Sue Bird's basketball career could not be any sweeter, any more fulfilling, it has. Only days before playing at the Olympics for the fifth time, Bird has been named as one of the USA's two flag bearers for the Opening Ceremony at the Tokyo Games.

Looking to put an exclamation mark on her long and successful time as the United States point guard by capturing an Olympic gold medal for the fifth time, Bird will now have the opportunity to lead her compatriots around the track in Japan, the ultimate honor for any athlete.

Just as she has always been about winning games and helping her teammates play their best, Bird attempted to deflect attention from herself by saying the flag-bearer honor was about representing all those that have worn the national team shirt with pride and always given their best.

"This is about all the players who either came before me and set the tone for what the USA Basketball women's program is now and also the players that I've been fortunate enough to play with," Bird said. "So, it's not just about me. It's representing all of them."

That selfless quality is what has made Bird the consummate professional, be it with the national team or her WNBA team Seattle Storm.

Bird has never cared about the number of points that she scored or any statistics. She has always prioritized winning and doing so in the right way.

“THIS IS ABOUT ALL THE PLAYERS WHO EITHER CAME BEFORE ME AND SET THE TONE FOR WHAT THE USA BASKETBALL WOMEN'S PROGRAM IS NOW, AND ALSO THE PLAYERS THAT I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PLAY WITH”- Sue Bird

Current USA coach Dawn Staley had the honor of carrying the flag at the Athens Games.

"It's an incredible honor to be selected the flag bearer for Team USA," Bird said. "I know what that means because I got to witness Dawn Staley go through it when she was selected in 2004. It's an honor that is bigger than the moment in that you've been selected by your fellow Team USA athletes to represent the entire delegation, and it will last forever. Also, in the moment, I got to witness what it was to lead Team USA into the Opening Ceremony, and it's an incredible feeling and once again, such a huge honor."

Bird, 40, has a CV that is second to none.

In addition to her four Olympic gold medals, she has helped the USA claim four world titles. Her Seattle team has won four WNBA championships, while she won five EuroLeague Women championships while playing in Russia for Spartak Moscow Region and UMMC Ekaterinburg.

At the University of Connecticut under former USA coach Geno Auriemma, she played a significant role for the Huskies during two NCAA championship-winning seasons.

Bird has been a linchpin in the USA team for nearly two decades

This will be the first Olympics for countries to have two flag bearers – one female and one male – in promotion of gender parity. The International Olympic Committee required that at least one male and one female athlete be included in each of the 206 national delegations that will compete in Tokyo.

The male flag bearer will be Eddy Alvarez, a 2014 Olympic silver medalist in speedskating who is competing at the Tokyo Games with the USA baseball team.

FIBA