Nominees for 25th ESPYS Announced

ESPYS

ESPYS

The nominees for the 25th ESPYS have been announced. Voting is underway at ESPYS.com and all categories will close when the live show starts on Wednesday, July 12, at 8 p.m. ET.

Pardon the Interruption’s Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon will host The ESPY Nomination Special on Sunday, July 2, at 3 pm ET on ESPN. The ESPYS will air live on ABC Wednesday, July 12, at 8 p.m. ET from the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. The ceremony will be hosted by Peyton Manning.

BEST MALE ATHLETE

Kris Bryant, MLB

Sidney Crosby, Stanley Cup Finals

Michael Phelps, Swimming

Russell Westbrook, NBA

 

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE

Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Katie Ledecky, Swimming

Candace Parker, WNBA

Serena Williams, Tennis

 

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Tom Brady, Super Bowl

Kevin Durant, NBA Finals

Shay Knighten, WCWS

Deshaun Watson, CFB National Championship

 

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE

Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA

Laurie Hernandez, Gymnastics

Aaron Judge, MLB

Dak Prescott, NFL

Christian Pulisic, Soccer

 

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE

Bill Belichick most Super Bowl wins by a head coach

Michael Phelps extends his own record of most gold medals/most Olympic medals

Diana Taurasi breaks WNBA career scoring record

Russell Westbrook most triple doubles in a season

 

BEST UPSET

Clemson defeats Alabama, CFB National Championship

Denis Istomin over Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2nd Round

Mississippi State defeats Connecticut, Women’s NCAA Basketball Final Four

 

BEST GAME

Cubs vs. Indians, World Series Game 7

Patriots vs. Falcons, Super Bowl

Federer vs. Nadal, Australian Open Final

 

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE

Matt Bush, MLB

Roger Federer, Tennis

Jordy Nelson, NFL

Candace Parker, WNBA

 

BEST PLAY (16 NOMINEES VOTED BRACKET-STYLE)

  1. Julian Edelman Super Bowl catch vs. 16. Noah Brown TD catch around defender
  2. Morgan Williams buzzer beater vs. UConn vs.15. Larry Nance dunk
  3. Aaron Rodgers to Jared Cook vs. 14. Lamar Jackson hurdles defender
  4. Northwestern buzzer beater vs. 13. Edwin Encarnacion walk off HR
  5. Russell Westbrook buzzer beater vs. 12. LeBron James dunk off the backboard
  6. Chris Coghlan leaps over catcher vs. 11. Sidney Crosby one-handed goal
  7. Olivier Giroud scorpion kick goa l vs. 10. Warriors jump ball transition dunk
  8. Mario Mandzukic goal in UEFA Final vs. 9. Jarrod Dyson catch

 

BEST TEAM

Chicago Cubs, MLB

Clemson Tigers, CFB

Golden State Warriors, NBA

Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL

New England Patriots, NFL

South Carolina Gamecocks, Women’s NCAA Basketball

US Women’s Gymnastics

 

BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE

Canelo Alvarez, Boxing

Usain Bolt, Track & Field

Katinka Hosszu, Swimming

Conor McGregor, MMA

Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccer

 

BEST NFL PLAYER

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

 

BEST MLB PLAYER

Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

Rick Porcello, Boston Red Sox

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

Mike Trout, LA Angels

 

BEST NHL PLAYER

Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

 

BEST DRIVER

Ron Capps, NHRA

Lewis Hamilton, Formula One

Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR

Simon Pagenaud, IndyCar

Martin Truex Jr., NASCAR

 

BEST NBA PLAYER

Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors

James Harden, Houston Rockets

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

 

BEST WNBA PLAYER

Tina Charles, New York Liberty

Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics

Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx

Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks

Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks

 

BEST FIGHTER

Terence Crawford, Boxing

Gennady Golovkin, Boxing

Demetrious Johnson, MMA

Conor McGregor, MMA

Andre Ward, Boxing

 

BEST MALE GOLFER

Brooks Koepka

Sergio Garcia

Dustin Johnson

Rory McIlroy

Henrik Stenson

 

BEST FEMALE GOLFER

In Gee Chun

Ariya Jutanugarn

Lydia Ko

So Yeon Ryu

Lexi Thompson

 

BEST MALE TENNIS PLAYER

Roger Federer

Andy Murray

Rafael Nadal

Stan Wawrinka

 

BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER

Angelique Kerber

Jelena Ostapenko

Monica Puig

Serena Williams

 

BEST MALE COLLEGE ATHLETE

Ian Harkes, Wake Forest soccer

Frank Mason, Kansas basketball

Matt Rambo, Maryland lacrosse

Zain Retherford, Penn State wrestling

DeShaun Watson, Clemson football

 

BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE

Inky Ajanaku, Stanford volleyball

Kelly Barnhill, Florida softball

Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia soccer

Kelsey Plum, Washington basketball

Zoe Stukenberg, Maryland lacrosse

 

BEST MALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETE

Oystein Braaten (NOR), Ski

John John Florence, Surf

Nyjah Huston, Skateboard

Mark McMorris, Snowboard

 

BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETE

Lacey Baker, Skateboard

Anna Gasser, Snowboard

Kelly Sildaru, Ski

Tyler Wright, Surf

 

BEST JOCKEY

Javier Castellano

Mike E. Smith

John Velasquez

 

BEST MALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY

Will Groulx, Cycling

Mike Minor, Snowboarding

Steve Serio, Wheelchair Basketball

Brad Snyder, Swimming

Roderick Townsend, Track and Field

 

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY

Oksana Masters, Nordic Skiing

Tatyana McFadden, Track and Field

Becca Meyers, Swimming

Shawn Morelli, Cycling

Grace Norman, Triathlon

 

BEST BOWLER

Jason Belmonte

Francois Lavoie

EJ Tackett

 

BEST MLS PLAYER

Andre Blake, Philadelphia Union

Stefan Frei, Seattle Sounders FC

Matt Hedges, FC Dallas

David Villa, New York City FC

Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York Red Bulls

 

BEST MALE US OLYMPIC ATHLETE

Ashton Eaton, Decathlon

Ryan Murphy, Swimming

Michael Phelps, Swimming

Kyle Snyder, Wrestling

 

BEST FEMALE US OLYMPIC ATHLETE

Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Allyson Felix, Track & Field

Katie Ledecky, Swimming

Simone Manuel, Swimming