Lithuania legend Sarunas Jasikevicius will serve as his country's flagbearer at the Beijing Games, and last year's EuroBasket MVP Andrei Kirilenko has the honour for Russia.

Germany are set to announce on Wednesday which sportsman will lead the Olympic athletes at the Opening Ceremony, with basketball fans no doubt hoping that Dirk Nowitzki will be selected.

Nowitzki, who recently led Germany to the last qualifying spot for the men's tournament, is to play in his first Olympics.

"I would really love to be the flagbearer, but there are also other colleagues that have already experienced four of five Olympics and they have every right to be flagbearers," Nowitzki said.

No matter what happens, Nowitzki is going to treasure the experience.

"I know that in China," he said, "they are mad about basketball and that all the tickets for the games are sold out. To play in a full arena always motivates us more."