Dawn Staley, 34, plays for the WNBA's Charlotte Sting and coaches the women's basketball team at Temple. She also runs a foundation that works with inner-city children in her hometown of Philadelphia. Associated Press

Dawn Staley will carry U.S. flag in opening ceremony

ATHENS, Greece - Basketball star Dawn Staley will carry the U.S. flag during Friday's opening ceremony, a highlight in an Olympic career that already includes two gold medals.

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2004 Summer Olympics Aug. 13-29 Stories Photographs Graphics

Staley, the first basketball player to lead the U.S. delegation at an Olympics, was chosen by captains from each of the U.S. teams.

"It's something that caught me completely off guard. It's a fairy tale that somehow ended up in my lap," she said Thursday at a news conference. "To lead the U.S. delegation into the stadium, it's incredible. It might be an out-of-body experience for me."

Staley, 34, plays for the WNBA's Charlotte Sting and coaches the women's basketball team at Temple. She also runs a foundation that works with inner-city children in her hometown of Philadelphia.

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

--From the Friday, August 13, 2004 online edition of the Augusta Chronicle