yahoo sports staff
With the MLB All-Star game just around the corner and the break in the sports calendar for most other professional and college leagues, the 2024 ESPY Awards are upon us. The annual awards presentation, held since 1993, honors the best athletes and teams from the previous year. While some awards include global athletes, the focus is mostly on North American sports, and stars such as Caitlin Clark, Christian McCaffrey and Lamar Jackson are up for multiple awards this year. You can check out the full list of nominees here.
The ESPYs also honor sports contributions off the field, and this year, Prince Harry, former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason and South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley will be honored at the ceremony.
Serena Williams will host this year's ESPYs, joining legendary athletes like Stephen Curry, Russell Wilson, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Peyton Manning, and LeBron James, who have hosted the ceremony in the past.
How to watch the 2024 ESPY Awards
Date: July 11, 2024
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Dolby Theatre | Los Angeles, Calif.
TV channel: ABC
Streaming: FuboTV
Stay with Yahoo Sports for live updates of the 2024 ESPYS, including the biggest moments and winners from the ceremony throughout the night.
Live20 updates
Simone Biles wins Best Comeback Athlete
The four-time Olympic gold medalist overcame the "twisties" and returned to competition last year. She has since won four world championship titles and a full sweep of this year's U.S. championships. Next stop: Paris.
Angel City co-owner Jennifer Garner accepts the team humanitarian award
The Golden Globe winner pledged no shortage of work in the Los Angeles area and ended it with βThatβs when you know a team is run by women.β
Another nice moment: the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award
The Maui surfing community accepts the honor after aiding the recovery from he 2023 wildfire that ravaged Lahaina, with their leader urging viewers to take climate change more seriously.
Patrick Mahomes wins Best Athlete, Men's Sports
Andy Reid is accepting the award on the three-time Super Bowl champion's behalf. Mahomes beat out Shohei Ohtani, Connor McDavid and Scottie Scheffler.
The best of the best. Congratulations, @PatrickMahomes! pic.twitter.com/0s6sCslaiR
β Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 12, 2024
Serena Williams sings an extremely mean love song directed at old friend/rival Maria Sharapova
Sure, why not.
Serena Williams dedicates a song to Maria Sharapova.
"She could be my tennis ball" πΎποΈπΆ #ESPYS pic.twitter.com/AoFRedjtSR
β Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 12, 2024
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Steve Gleason gets standing ovation while accepting Arthur Ashe Award for Courage
Former NFL safety Steve Gleason has become one of the faces of ALS after being diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder in 2011. Doctors initially thought he only had a few years to live, but he's still here, living life in a wheelchair with the support of his wife, children and other caregivers.
ESPN named him the winner of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and he received a standing ovation as he took the stage with his son, with a tear visibly running down his face as his speech began. The ESPYs always try to deliver moments with meaning beyond sports, and that was their best of the night.
A huge ovation for Steve Gleason as he accepts the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for his contributions to ALS awareness π pic.twitter.com/JoSIsEV14z
β SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 12, 2024
Cooper Flagg wins Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year, Sadie Engelhardt Best Female Player of the Year
Cooper Flagg won the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year. Flagg, the national high school player of the year at Montverde Academy (Florida), will play college basketball at Duke.
Read more on Flagg from Yahoo Sports' Krysten Peek.
Cooper Flagg over VJ Edgecomb in City of Palms Final
Flagg gets 21-14-3, 5 stocks with usual mix of shotmaking, athleticism/motor, passing IQ. Most interchangeable/versatile prospect since ?
20 for VJ, first step a huge advantage creator. Shotmaker. Encouraging passing flashes pic.twitter.com/GGgeUoXxC0
β Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) December 27, 2023
Best Female Player of the Year honors went to Ventura High (California) track star Sadie Engelhardt, who will continue her career at North Carolina State.
π£οΈ βAnd she breaks away, the final kick, letβs hear it for her, folks. 4:27, 28, 29, she is breaking away. Sheβs lactic, fully. She did it β and Allie right there with her!β
Sadie Engelhardt calls the final 100m of the championship mile at New Balance Nationals, where she ran⦠pic.twitter.com/IFIjp13b2j
β CITIUS MAG (@CitiusMag) June 16, 2024
Nick Saban honored with ESPYs Icon Award
Former Alabama stars Mark Ingram II and Bryce Young present Nick Saban with the Icon Award for his legendary career coaching the Crimson Tide.
Nick Saban with the tux after winning the icon award at the ESPYs pic.twitter.com/lRdfErE8bs
β Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) July 12, 2024
Saban won an astounding seven national championships during his 17 years at Alabama, compiling a record of 206β29. No coach has won more national titles in college football.
Serena and Venus Williams did a bit with Quinta Brunson about women's sports and it got spicy
The Williams sisters got on stage with "Abbott Elementary" star Quinta Brunson about how to enjoy women's sports and they... had some things to talk about.
That included them saying "Never use the B-word ... you know who you are," a likely dig at ESPN's Pat McAfee, who apologized for calling Caitlin Clark a "white b**** from Indiana." Then Serena ended it by responding to Venus' urge for people to enjoy women's sports by saying "Except for you Harrison Butker, we donβt need you."
βYou can enjoy womenβs sports, just like any other sport, because they are sports. Except for you Harrison Butker, we donβt need you. At all, like ever.β - Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Quinta Brunson π₯π₯π₯
Heavy on that⦠#Espys #ESPYAwards #ESPYS24 pic.twitter.com/zdNPpcUrme
β Gerren Peterson (@GerrenPeterson) July 12, 2024
There was also Serena saying "LeBron wants to win a title with his son on his team I won with my daughter, in my belly. I think we know which one is more impressive.β
LSU's Flau'jae Johnson provides some music
LSU basketball player Flau'Jae Johnson performed for her fellow athletes, and had a moment with Lil Wayne.
Wanna talk about best of both worlds? @Flaujae you DID THAT pic.twitter.com/FzGa2lVHdD
β Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) July 12, 2024
Flau'jae π€ Lil Wayne pic.twitter.com/HXG4d9WcvQ
β The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 12, 2024
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley honored with Jimmy V Award for Perseverance
Stuart Scott's daughters Sydni and Taelor, along with "Abbott Elementary" star Quinta Brunson presented this year's Jimmy V Award for Perseverance to South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley.
βWe have to find a cure.β @dawnstaley is right. It's that simple β but so powerful. Support the 2024 Jimmy V Award for Perseverance recipient by making a difference today. https://t.co/FgsJrf1gsA pic.twitter.com/nFHy8ShZz3
β The V Foundation (@TheVFoundation) July 10, 2024
You are so deserving, @dawnstaley. Thank you for choosing to help others no matter what. That is the definition of perseverance. pic.twitter.com/WYA8ESOADx
β The V Foundation (@TheVFoundation) July 12, 2024
Staley, a three-time NCAA championship coach, was honored for βher leadership in the fight against cancer," becoming a major advocate for cancer research when her sister, Tracey Underwood, and former assistant Nikki McCray-Penson were diagnosed with cancer.
Underwood received a life-saving bone marrow transplant from their brother, Lawrence, which inspired Staley to raise awareness for patient care, research and resources.
Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson wins Best Athlete, Women's Sports
Women's basketball legend Candace Parker and USA track star Allyson Felix presented the ESPY for Best Athlete, Women's Sports to Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson.
A'ja Wilson takes home the ESPY for Best Athlete: Women's SportsβΌοΈ pic.twitter.com/PtIkBRJ5kw
β ESPN (@espn) July 12, 2024
Wilson, a two-time WNBA MVP, currently leads the league in scoring, averaging 26.9 points per game. Last season, she averaged 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, leading the Aces to their second consecutive WNBA championship.
Teammate Sydney Colson posted a video to social media of the Aces celebrating Wilson's win.
CONGRATS ON BEST ATHLETE IN WOMENβS SPORTS @_ajawilson22 !!! π pic.twitter.com/1oi5xv93RO
β Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) July 12, 2024
Prince Harry honored with the Pat Tillman Award for Service
Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service for his work with the Invictus Games, an event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women (serving and veterans).
#DriveFor25
βThis one is for our entire service communityβ :-Prince Harry.Prince Harry accepted the Pat Tillman Award, not for himself but as the voice as the Invictus Games.#ESPYS #InvictusGame25 #ESPYS24 pic.twitter.com/zltYbszjhU
β πΊπππππ πͺππππππππ π¬πππππ (@SussexEvent) July 12, 2024
Prince Harry paid tribute to Tillman's mother, Mary, in his acceptance speech.
"Her advocacy for Patβs legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect," he said, via the New York Post. "The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses."
The award was presented by three previous Tillman Award winners who also competed in the Invictus Games.
Celtics' Jaylen Brown wins Best Championship Performance
Halle Bailey and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson presented the ESPY for Best Championship Performance to Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
Brown brought the Larry O'Brien championship trophy with him to the ceremony.
Jaylen Brown brought the NBA Finals trophy to the ESPYS red carpet π€©
ESPYS l 8 ET l ABC πΊ pic.twitter.com/6Uc9IX2HTH
β NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 11, 2024
In the five-game NBA Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks, Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and five assists.
Is an ESPY award consolation for not being named to the USA Olympic men's basketball team in favor of teammate Derrick White? If asked, that question should get quite a response.
JuJu Watkins wins Best Breakthrough Athlete
Glorilla and Draymond Green (representing Michigan State's green and white with his tuxedo) presented the ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete to USC guard JuJu Watkins.
JuJu Watkins is the ESPY award winner for Best Breakthrough Athlete πͺ pic.twitter.com/QUbnCKlW2X
β SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 12, 2024
Watkins averaged 27.1 points per game in her freshman season, in addition to 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks.
ESPYs telecast delayed by President Biden press conference
Viewers looking to tune in for the ESPYs were greeted with ABC News coverage of a President Biden press conference from the NATO Summit.
The ABC telecast was delayed for 30 minutes while the press conference and brief commentary afterward was on the air.
However, ABC is broadcasting the ESPYs broadcast in full, as of 8:33 p.m. ET. The show was delayed as the press conference occurred.
Jaylen Brown just gave a very unenthusiastic "no comment" to Cam Newton on why he's not with the U.S. Olympic team. He's been openly unhappy about getting snubbed from the U.S. Olympic team.
Shockingly, Caitlin Clark has won best college athlete in women's sports.
And, of course, the host is here.
MOTHER. @serenawilliams #ESPYs pic.twitter.com/3xO13L1HvB
β issa raeβs favorite reporter. (@TheGreatIsNate) July 11, 2024
We're still nearly an hour from the start of the ESPYs, but ESPN has already announced some smaller awards:
Shohei Ohtani, MLB Player of the Year
A'ja Wilson, WNBA Player of the Year
Luka Doncic, NBA Player of the Year
