It was already an opportunity of a lifetime to play at the Olympics for Germany's basketball players.

Now the country's most famous sportsman, EuroBasket 2005 MVP Dirk Nowitzki, will serve as the country's flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony for the Beijing Games on Friday night.

The German Olympic Committee on Wednesday confirmed the 30-year-old Nowitzki would lead the country's athletes into the Olympic Stadium.

"On Friday, I will experience something astonishing," Nowitzki said after being told the good news.

"I never thought I would be chosen to carry the flag but maybe it's happened because a lot of athletes identify with me."

Russia's EuroBasket 2007 MVP Andrei Kirilenko and Lithuania's Sarunas Jasikevicius - the MVP of their gold medal win at the EuroBasket in Sweden five years ago - will also be flagbearers at the Opening Ceremony.

The men's basketball tournament tips off on Sunday with Russia taking on Iran, Germany facing Angola, Spain going up against Greece, Lithuania squaring off against Argentina, Australia meeting Croatia and China playing the United States.