On Wednesday evening, some of the biggest stars in sports and entertainment gathered at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to celebrate the year's best moments in sports at The 2025 ESPYS Presented by Capital One. The show, which aired live on ABC and streamed on ESPN+ in pattern with ABC airings across time zones, was hosted by comedian, actor, and writer Shane Gillis, who delivered a sharp opening monologue, poking fun at everyone from Aaron Rodgers and Bill Belichick to Simone Biles and Shohei Ohtani.
Simone Biles, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Suni Lee, Ilona Maher, Alexander Ovechkin, the Philadelphia Eagles, and Sloane Stephens took home some of the biggest awards of the evening. The show featured appearances by Angela Bassett, Ciara, Flau'jae Johnson, Leslie Jones, Chloe Kim, Ilona Maher, Anthony Ramos, Russell Westbrook, Russell Wilson and more.
Each year, The ESPYS recognizes individuals in the sports world who have demonstrated admirable strength and bravery in the face of adversity with three marquee awards: the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Former NBA player Oscar Robertson was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for his fight to establish free agency in the NBA. The award is given to a deserving member of the sports world who has made a difference beyond the field of play by fighting for what they believe in, ultimately impacting people worldwide. Russell Westbrook presented Robertson with the award, who accepted saying, "In life, it is important to be persistent, or as I have been called, stubborn. Stubborn about what you believe in. It is important to do the right thing even if it comes at great personal sacrifice...I realized that helping others and looking out for more than just yourself improves whatever community of which you are part of."
Penn State University women's volleyball head coach, Katie Schumacher-Cawley, received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance for leading her team to the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship while battling breast cancer. After Russell Wilson presented her with the award, the crowd gave her a standing ovation. Cawley delivered an emotional speech, saying, "Cancer changed my life, but it didn't take it. It didn't take my belief, it didn't take my spirit, and it didn't take my team...I share this [award] with everyone who's ever faced this disease - the survivors, those still fighting, and the ones we've lost, especially my dad - this is for you. Keep showing up, keep believing, and please never ever give up."
Angela Bassett presented greater Los Angeles first responders and former athletes David Walters and Erin Regan with the Pat Tillman Award for Service, which is given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman. Both Walters and Regan were on the front lines battling extreme winds and fire behavior while tragically losing colleagues and working tirelessly to defend their city in one of the most devastating fires in Los Angeles history.
Former WNBA player Diana Taurasi and former USWNT player Alex Morgan were honored with the Icon Award, recognizing their legendary careers and lasting impact on and off the field. Morgan thanked the powerful women who came before her, saying, "We fought to leave the game a better place than where we found it, just as the generation before us did. We wouldn't be here without those women paving the way, giving us the confidence and will to play, to fight, to advocate, to be on this stage. We're standing on the shoulders of giants. To the women who came before us, it's because of you that we never have to apologize for speaking up or for fighting to raise the bar. It's because of you that we're able to be an Olympian, a businesswoman, and a mom. It's because of you that we have no limits."
Taurasi thanked her family for inspiring her to follow her passion, saying "They're who believed in us before anyone else did, and in my case, I owe that to my parents and their immigrant grit. That's the stuff that doesn't show up in the highlight reels, but it shows up when the lights are off and you're still out there grinding. Grit to give me a better life. That's what built my career, and it is what built this country. To the next generation, keep going. Don't wait for someone to hand you anything. Outwork them. Be loyal. Bring that damn fire every day. We're proof you can do it. We did it our way, no shortcuts, no apologies and no regrets."
Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee delivered a moving tribute to their colleague and broadcast legend Lee Corso, and the USC marching band surprised Corso and the audience with a performance following his acceptance speech.
The show featured special musical performances from Grammy-nominated rapper Busta Rhymes, acclaimed hip-hop duo Clipse, and rising rap superstar GELO, along with a powerful In Memoriam tribute led by Grammy-nominated artist and multi-hyphenate Tobe Nwigwe featuring David Michael Wyatt.
Additional presenters included Alison Brie, Druski, Damar Hamlin, Jon Jones, Billie Jean King, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Brooks Nader, Matthew Stafford, Gabby Thomas and Lindsey Vonn. Attendees included Jordan Chiles, Whitney Cummings, Lamar Jackson, Kyle and Kristin Juszczyk, Suni Lee, Terrell Owens and more.
The ESPYS helps raise awareness and funds for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the charity founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano at the first ESPYS in 1993. ESPN has helped raise more than $265 million for the V Foundation over the past 32 years. For more information, go to V.org.
COMPLETE LIST OF THE 2025 ESPYS WINNERS
Best Athlete - Men's Sports - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Best Athlete - Women's Sports - Simone Biles, Gymnast
Best Breakthrough Athlete - Ilona Maher, Team USA Rugby
Best Record-Breaking Performance - Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals - NHL All-Time Goals
Leader
Best Championship Performance - Simone Biles, 2024 Olympics Women's All-Around
Best Comeback Athlete - Suni Lee, Gymnast
Best Play - Saquon Barkley's backwards hurdle, NFL (11/3/24)
Best Team - Philadelphia Eagles, NFL
Best College Athlete - Men's Sports - Cooper Flagg, Duke Basketball
Best College Athlete - Women's Sports - JuJu Watkins, USC Basketball
Best Athlete With A Disability - Noah Elliott, Snowboard
Best NFL Player - Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Best MLB Player - Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
Best NHL Player - Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Best NBA Player - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Best WNBA Player - Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
Best Driver - Max Verstappen, F1
Best UFC Fighter - Merab Dvalishvili
Best Boxer - Katie Taylor
Best Soccer Player - Christian Pulisic, AC Milan, US
Best Golfer - Scottie Scheffler
Best Tennis Player - Coco Gauff
Gatorade Best Female Player of the Year - Jane Hendengren, Cross Country, Track and Field
Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year - Cameron Boozer, Basketball
SPECIAL AWARDS
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Katie Schumacher-Cawley
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Oscar Robertson
Pat Tillman Award for Service: David Walters and Erin Regan
SPORTS HUMANITARIAN AWARDS
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Sloane Stephens
Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Maegha Ramanathan, Rishin Tandon, Ian Waite
Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year: Indianapolis Colts
Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Honoree: Billy Bean
Sports Philanthropist of the Year Honoree: Michele Kang
Corporate Community Impact Award: Buffalo Wild Wings
More information on The 2025 ESPYS can be found in the official press kit. Photos can be found on ESPN Images.
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About The ESPYS
The 2025 ESPYS Presented by Capital One will air live from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and will stream live on ESPN+. The ESPYS will also be available to stream on-demand the next day on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Top celebrities from sports and entertainment will come together to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major athletic achievements, reliving unforgettable moments, and saluting the leading performers and performances. The ESPYS help to raise awareness and funds for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the charity founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano at the first ESPYS back in 1993. ESPN has helped raise more than $265 million for the V Foundation over the past 32 years. The ESPYS are co-produced by ESPN and Full Day Productions. Follow The 2025 ESPYS on X/Twitter @ESPYS.
About the V Foundation for Cancer Research
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. The V Foundation has funded over $400 million in game-changing cancer research grants nationwide through a competitive process strictly supervised by a world-class Scientific Advisory Committee. Because the V Foundation has an endowment to cover administrative expenses, 100% of direct donations are awarded to cancer research and programs. The V team is committed to accelerating Victory Over Cancer. To learn more, visit v.org.
Media Contacts
Garrett Cowan | [email protected]
Jay Jay Nesheim | [email protected]
Source: ESPN
