Los Angeles, July 16, 2025 – The Dolby Theatre lit up as the sports world’s brightest stars gathered for ESPN’s annual celebration of excellence across all arenas. Hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, the awards honored achievements from Olympic glory to comeback grit, charitable impact to record‑breaking feats.
Major Athlete Awards
- Best Male Athlete: Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
He captured the season’s MVP, NBA title, and Finals MVP—beating out fierce competition from Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, and Shohei Ohtani .
- Best Female Athlete & Best Championship Performance: Simone Biles, USA Gymnastics
Biles was recognized for her dominance at the 2024 Paris Olympics (all-around gold), earning her second Best Female Athlete honor and Championship nod .
Game-Changing Plays & Moments
- Best Play: Saquon Barkley — famed backward hurdle over a defender during the 2024 NFL season .
Breakthroughs & Comebacks
- Best Breakthrough Athlete: IIona Maher, USA Rugby
The Olympic bronze-medal rising star made history as the first rugby athlete to win this category .
- Best Comeback Athlete: Suni Lee, USA Gymnastics
After battling rare kidney diseases, she returned to Olympic glory and claimed three medals in Paris .
College Standouts
- Men’s College Athlete: Cooper Flagg, Duke Basketball
- Women’s College Athlete: JuJu Watkins, USC Basketball .
Adaptive & Inspirational
- Best Athlete with a Disability: Noah Elliott, Para-Snowboarding .
Pro-League MVPs
- Best NBA Player: Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander .
- Best WNBA Player: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever .
- Best NFL Player: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles .
- Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers .
- Best NHL Player: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers .
- Best Driver: Max Verstappen, Formula 1 .
Humanitarian & Courage Awards
- Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Oscar Robertson — for championing labor rights and establishing the “Oscar Robertson Rule” in the NBA .
- Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Katie Schumacher-Cawley, Penn State volleyball coach & cancer survivor .
- Pat Tillman Award for Service: David Walters & Erin Regan, LA County firefighters .
- Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Sloane Stephens, honored for her charitable initiatives through her foundation .
- Icon Award: Alex Morgan & Diana Taurasi — celebrated for their lasting influence on women’s sports .
International & Combat Sports
- Best Soccer Player: Christian Pulisic, AC Milan & USMNT .
- Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler .
- Best Boxer: Katie Taylor .
- Best UFC Fighter: Merab Dvalishvili .
- Best Tennis Player: Coco Gauff .
Record-Breaking Hero
- Best Record-Breaking Performance: Alexander Ovechkin for surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goals record .
Team Triumphs
- Best Team: Philadelphia Eagles – celebrated for their Super Bowl LIX victory .
Longform & Youth Awards
- Gatorade Best Male/Female Players of the Year: Cameron Boozer (basketball) & Jane Hedengren (cross-country/track) .
- Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Rishin Tandon, Maegha Ramanathan & Ian Waite .
Host Highlights & Memorable Moments
- Host: Shane Gillis’s edgy monologue drew mixed reactions, including controversial jokes targeting Caitlin Clark and Bill Belichick .
- Teleprompter Glitch: Matthew Stafford experienced a live teleprompter malfunction while introducing the Gatorade Players of the Year, handled with humor on stage .
Final Thoughts
The 2025 ESPYs united the thrill of athletic performance with stories of resilience, service, and cultural impact. It was a night marked by historic firsts—like Maher’s win—honored legacies through the Icon and Courage awards, and paid tribute to the triumph of human spirit in sports.
