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Canada has officially revealed the two athletes who will carry the nation’s flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The honour goes to freestyle skiing icons Mikaël Kingsbury and Marielle Thompson, two of the country’s most decorated Winter Olympians.
The announcement was widely expected, with both athletes enjoying remarkable Olympic careers spanning more than a decade. According to CBC Olympics, “They will march with their freestyle skiing and snowboard teammates in Livigno, with the parade of nations also being held in Milan’s San Siro Stadium and the mountain clusters of Cortina and Predazzo simultaneously in the most spread out Games in Olympic history.” The unique format means the Opening Ceremony will take place across several venues, making Milano Cortina 2026 unlike any Winter Olympics before it.
Marielle Thompson celebrates her ski cross victory in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, with the traditional Swiss cowbell trophy. | Image: Supplied / Alpine Canada
For Mikaël Kingsbury, the honour adds another important moment to an amazing career. The 33-year-old is known as the best moguls skier ever and one of the most successful freestyle skiers in the sport’s history. He won silver medals at Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022, before winning gold at PyeongChang 2018. Milano Cortina 2026 is expected to be his last Olympic Games, making the chance to lead Team Canada even more special.
Marielle Thompson has had an equally impressive Olympic career over the last three Winter Games. The 33-year-old won gold in the women’s ski cross at Sochi 2014 and added a silver medal at Beijing 2022. Although she just missed winning a medal at PyeongChang 2018, her performance was even more impressive, as she competed only 4 months after surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL, showing the strength and determination that have shaped her career.
Mikaël Kingsbury celebrates his silver medal in the men’s moguls event at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, holding the official Games mascot. | Image: Canadian Olympic Committee
Reflecting on being selected as one of Canada’s flag bearers, Thompson said, “Being asked to carry the Canadian flag is one of the highest honours in my Olympic journey. There are so many amazing athletes to select from, so to be chosen is really kind of unbelievable, but just very special. Mikaël and I have been to each Olympics together, and we’re the same age, so we’ve kind of come up together in this sport. I think we’ve definitely got some camaraderie, and it’s very cool to be sharing this honour together.”
With two Olympic champions leading the delegation, Team Canada will enter Milano Cortina 2026 represented by athletes who have consistently delivered on the world’s biggest stage. Their shared experience, success and leadership make them fitting choices to carry the Maple Leaf as Canada begins another Winter Olympic campaign.
Fans won’t have to wait long to watch the historic moment unfold. Live coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. PT / 1:30 p.m. ET and will be available on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC News Network, Sportsnet and TSN.
Elias Albay is the Founder and Director of Many Men Magazine, a Toronto-based digital publication dedicated to promoting modern masculinity through style, culture, and self-improvement. What started as a personal turning point became a purposeful platform. — born from Elias’ desire to create something meaningful after completing his studies and finding no career path that truly matched his ambitions. With a background in Civil Engineering from York University and experience in Commercial Flight Operations at CAE, he applied skills, and resilience from both fields to forge a new path.
Our team of editors and experts thoughtfully chooses each product. If you decide to buy through one of our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more. Want to know how we test products? Click here for more details.
The Oklahoma City Thunder earned an estimated USD $12.4 million from the NBA’s Player Playoff Pool after winning the 2025 NBA Championship.
Each Thunder player is expected to receive roughly USD $828,000, rewarding the team’s historic title-winning season.
NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City’s Finals run after averaging standout performances throughout the postseason.
The NBA’s 2025 Player Playoff Pool was valued at USD $34.7 million, with payouts based on regular-season results and playoff success.
Oklahoma City’s championship bonus surpassed postseason payouts available in both the NFL and MLB, making it one of the most lucrative team rewards in North American sports.
Winning an NBA Championship is every player’s dream, but holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy means more than just bragging rights. After beating the Indiana Pacers to win the 2025 NBA title, the Oklahoma City Thunder not only celebrated the franchise’s biggest success since moving to Oklahoma City but also earned a large reward prize. Each player is expected to receive about USD $828,000, bringing the total payout from the NBA’s Player Playoff Pool to around USD $12.4 million. This is a well-deserved reward for a team that spent the season showing it belonged among the league’s best and delivered when it counted most.
Unlike some major sports leagues, which award a set prize for winning the championship, the NBA shares postseason earnings through its Player Playoff Pool. For the 2025 season, the pool was worth about USD $34.7 million and was mostly funded by playoff ticket sales. The money is divided based on both regular-season performance and playoff results, so every playoff team gets a share, but the teams that go the farthest get the biggest payouts. For the Thunder, their championship win meant one of the largest postseason rewards in professional basketball.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2025 after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the league’s best regular season. | Image: Getty Images – Kyle Phillips
During their dominant run through the Western Conference Finals, NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reminded everyone exactly why the Thunder are the real deal. Dropping 34 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in the 124–94 victory that secured their spot in the Finals, the 26-year-old Canadian kept the team grounded in the moment. “This is a step in the right direction, but we have a lot more work to do to get to our ultimate goal, so let’s buckle up and get ready,” he told reporters after the game. Even with the win, his focus was clear: “That’s all that I’m focused on. This isn’t the end of our road.”
To get a better picture, here’s a breakdown of how the NBA’s Player Playoff Pool was distributed during the 2025 season:
Playoff Earnings
NBA Champion: $4,775,940
First Round: $6,439,658 ($402,479 per player)
Conference Semifinals: $3,831,216 ($478,902 per player)
Conference Finals: $3,165,594 ($791,398 per player)
Losing Team in the NBA Finals: $3,164,731
Regular Season Bonuses
Best Overall Record: $777,840
Best Record in Conference: $1,361,206 ($680,603 each)
Second-Best Record in Conference: $1,094,078 ($547,039 each)
Third-Best Record in Conference: $816,729($408,364 each)
Fourth-Best Record in Conference: $641,862 ($320,931 each)
Fifth-Best Record in Conference: $534,822 ($267,411 each)
Sixth-Best Record in Conference: $364,782 ($182,391 each)
Teams that dominate during the regular season earn an early advantage before the playoffs even tip off. The Thunder’s stellar run gave them the largest cut available, securing their full share of the $12.4 million pot. For comparison, teams eliminated in the second round receive a standard payout, while those reaching the conference finals or the NBA Finals itself earn significantly more. Play-in tournament teams, however, don’t see a cent of the pool—another incentive to push for a higher seed.
It’s not just the payday that’s special—it’s the journey. Gilgeous-Alexander joined an elite company this year, becoming one of only a few players in the past two decades—alongside Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant—to reach the NBA Finals in the same season as winning MVP. “These guys really make me feel like I’m a kid playing AAU basketball again,” he said after clinching the Western Conference title. “It’s just fun. That’s what makes us really good. We have so much fun being out there together.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrates with the Western Conference Finals MVP trophy after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the 2025 NBA Finals. | Image: Getty Images – Alonzo Adams
That $828,000 payout means different things depending on a player’s salary. For superstars like Gilgeous-Alexander, who is reportedly about to sign a record-breaking USD $380 million contract, the championship bonus is just a small addition. But for role players and up-and-coming talents like Branden Carlson ($496,519), Jaylin Williams ($2 million), and Dillon Jones ($2.6 million), that extra money really matters. It’s a well-deserved reward for players who put in the effort through 82 regular-season games, lots of practices, and a tough postseason.
When it comes to playoff bonuses, the NBA stands out among other leagues. The NFL’s top bonus is about $357,000 per player, and MLB playoff payouts are around $477,000. These amounts are much lower than what NBA players can earn. The bonus money is awarded per round, so the farther a team goes, the bigger the payout. Winning may not make a huge difference for superstars, but for most players, it’s a valuable reward for a season of hard work.
The championship bonus is more than just money — it’s a sign of recognition. It celebrates teamwork, consistency, and resilience during a season where every play counts. The Thunder’s $12.4 million reward shows not only their talent but also their discipline and chemistry as a young team that never gave up. Winning the trophy is the main goal, but getting a big cheque along with it is a nice bonus.
Elias Albay is the Founder and Director of Many Men Magazine, a Toronto-based digital publication dedicated to promoting modern masculinity through style, culture, and self-improvement. What started as a personal turning point became a purposeful platform. — born from Elias’ desire to create something meaningful after completing his studies and finding no career path that truly matched his ambitions. With a background in Civil Engineering from York University and experience in Commercial Flight Operations at CAE, he applied skills, and resilience from both fields to forge a new path.
