Shaun White calls Lindsey Vonn a ‘legend’ on NBC’s Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony broadcast as he hopes for her return to games

Legendary Olympic snowboarder Shaun White — who is commentating the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on NBC — said that he hopes United States skier Lindsey Vonn will be able to recover for this year’s games.

“She’s a legend in her sport, and she has nothing to prove,” White said on the broadcast. “But I just love the fact that she’s bringing that intensity to potentially her last Olympics.”

NBC broadcaster Shaun White is pictured during the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. NBC

USA’s Lindsey Vonn reacts after taking part in the second official training for the women’s downhill event ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. AFP via Getty Images

White added that he believes if there’s anyone who can make such a quick comeback to competition, Vonn would be the one to do it.

“You feel for her,” he added. “She’s had trouble with her knees before. She’s had surgeries to correct those injuries, and boom, another injury to the knee. But if anyone can do it, I feel that Lindsey can.”

White was teammates with Vonn on the U.S. team for the 2006, 2010 and 2018 Winter Olympic games.

Just one week after Vonn ruptured her ACL during a World cup race in Switzerland, the 2010 Olympic gold medalist is already back and completing training runs on Friday.