OLY - Basketball flag bearers

LONDON (Olympics) - To compete at an Olympic Games is the ultimate honor for every athlete, yet the experience becomes even sweeter for those who serve as flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony.

Basketball players will have that responsibility on Friday night in London.

China have continued their tradition of having hoopsters serve as a flag bearer by choosing Yi Jianlian while Pau Gasol will do so for Spain and Lauren Jackson for Australia.

Jackson, one of the top players in the women's game for more than a decade, is to compete in her fourth Olympics.

"So proud, and humbled, and just total overwhelmed," Jackson tweeted.

Boomers basketball great Andrew Gaze was Australia's flag bearer in Sydney 2000, when Jackson was still a teenager and making her Olympic debut.

"There is no greater honor in sport than to lead your nation at the Olympic Games and there is no one more worthy in AUS than @laurenej15," five-time Olympian Gaze tweeted.

Gasol, the 2006 FIBA World Championship MVP and Los Angeles Lakers star, was named flag bearer after tennis champion Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Olympics with a knee injury.

"I'm very thankful and appreciative," Gasol said.

"It's one of the sweetest moments of my career..."

The choice of Yi, who is to compete at his third straight Olympics yet is still only 24, means a basketball player will serve as flag bearer for the fifth straight Summer Games.

Liu Yudong had the honor in 1996 and 2000 and then Yao Ming led his country's Olympic athletes at the Opening Ceremony in 2004 and 2008.

Upon hearing the news this week, Yi wrote on his accredited weibo account: "I learned the news today that I am going to take such a great honor. I am so grateful.

"This gives me an extra boost for these games."

According to the country's official Xinhua news agency, China's deputy chef de mission Xiao Tian said the flag bearer must be someone who is "tall enough and famous enough" because of the size of China's delegation.

FIBA