Newly minted NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Super Bowl champion running back Saquon Barkley, gymnast Simone Biles and Dodger star Shohei Ohtani were among the top nominees announced Thursday for the 2025 ESPY Awards.
The annual awards show organized by ESPN celebrates the most memorable moments and athletes in sports from the past year. The awards will be presented July 16 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, hosted by comedian Shane Gillis.
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Ohtani, Oklahoma City Thunder star Gilgeous-Alexander, Philadelphia Eagles running back Barkley and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen were nominated for the best athlete in men's sports.
Biles leads the list of nominees for best athlete in women's sports, joined by track-and-field stars Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas and Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson, who won the award last year.
Biles was also nominated for best championship performance for her 2024 Olympics victory in the women's gymnastics all-around. She will compete in the category with Stephen Curry for his performance with the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team, Dodgers World Series MVP Freddie Freeman and golfing Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy.
Freeman and Ohtani were also nominated for best Major League Baseball player, along with the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and the Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal.
The Dodgers were among the nominees for best team, competing with the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the WNBA's New York Liberty, the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, NBA champ Oklahoma City Thunder, Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, the national champion North Carolina Tarheels women's lacrosse team, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team and the national champion University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team.
Here is a complete list of nominees:
BEST ATHLETE - MEN'S SPORTS
-- Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
-- Saquon Barkley - Philadelphia Eagles
-- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Oklahoma City Thunder
-- Shohei Ohtani - Los Angeles Dodgers
BEST ATHLETE - WOMEN'S SPORTS
-- Simone Biles - Gymnast
-- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone - Track & Field
-- Gabby Thomas - Track & Field
-- A'ja Wilson - Las Vegas Aces
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
-- Cooper Flagg - Duke Men's Basketball
-- Chloe Humphrey - North Carolina Women's Lacrosse
-- Ilona Maher - Rugby
-- Paul Skenes - Pittsburgh Pirates
BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
-- Geno Auriemma - UConn Huskies
-- Caitlin Clark - Indiana Fever
-- Kevin Durant - Olympic Basketball
-- Alexander Ovechkin - Washington Capitals
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
-- Simone Biles - 2024 Olympics Women's All-Around
-- Stephen Curry - US Men's Olympic BB team
-- Freddie Freeman - LA Dodgers - World Series MVP
-- Rory McIlroy - Wins first Masters title, completing career Grand Slam
BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
-- Gabe Landeskog - Colorado Avalanche
-- Suni Lee - Gymnast
-- Mallory Swanson - USWNT/Chicago Red Stars
-- Lindsey Vonn - Skiing
BEST PLAY
-- Saquon Barkley's backwards hurdle - NFL (11/3/24)
-- Tyrese Haliburton Calls Game!!! - NBA Game 1 NBA Finals (6/5/25)
-- Sabrina Ionescu Logo 3 Game Winner - WNBA Finals Game 3
-- Trinity Rodman with the OT Goal to send USWNT to the semi-finals - 2024 Olympics
BEST TEAM
-- Florida Panthers - NHL
-- Los Angeles Dodgers - MLB
-- New York Liberty - WNBA
-- Ohio State Buckeyes - NCAA Football
-- Oklahoma City Thunder - NBA
-- Philadelphia Eagles - NFL
-- North Carolina Tarheels - NCAA Women's Lacrosse
-- United States Women's National Team - Soccer
-- University of Connecticut Huskies - Women's Basketball
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE - MEN'S SPORTS
-- Cooper Flagg - Duke Basketball
-- Wyatt Hendrickson - Oklahoma State Wrestling
-- Travis Hunter - Colorado Football
-- CJ Kirst - Cornell Lacrosse
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE - WOMEN'S SPORTS
-- Olivia Babcock - University of Pittsburgh Volleyball
-- Kate Faasse - North Carolina Soccer
-- Gretchen Walsh - Virginia Swimming
-- JuJu Watkins - USC Basketball
BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
-- Noah Elliott - Snowboard
-- Ezra Frech - Track & Field
-- Tatyana McFadden - Track & Field
-- Grace Norman - Paratriathlete
BEST NFL PLAYER
-- Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
-- Saquon Barkley - Philadelphia Eagles
-- Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens
-- Patrick Surtain II - Denver Broncos
BEST MLB PLAYER
-- Freddie Freeman - Los Angeles Dodgers
-- Aaron Judge - New York Yankees
-- Shohei Ohtani - Los Angeles Dodgers
-- Tarik Skubal - Detroit Tigers
BEST NHL PLAYER
-- Leon Draisaitl - Edmonton Oilers,
-- Connor Hellebuyck - Winnipeg Jets
-- Nikita Kucherov - Tampa Bay Lightning
-- Cale Makar - Colorado Avalanche
BEST NBA PLAYER
-- Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks
-- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - Oklahoma City Thunder
-- Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets
-- Jayson Tatum - Boston Celtics
BEST WNBA PLAYER
-- Caitlin Clark - Indiana Fever
-- Napheesa Collier - Minnesota Lynx
-- Breanna Stewart - New York Liberty
-- A'ja Wilson - Las Vegas Aces
BEST DRIVER
-- Joey Logano - NASCAR
-- Álex Palou - IndyCar
-- Oscar Piastri - F1
-- Max Verstappen - F1
BEST UFC FIGHTER
-- Dricus Du Plessis
-- Merab Dvalishvili
-- Kayla Harrison
-- Islam Makhachev
BEST BOXER
-- Naoya Inoue
-- Claressa Shields
-- Katie Taylor
-- Oleksandr Usyk
BEST SOCCER PLAYER
-- Aitana Bonmatí - FC Barcelona/Spain
-- Christian Pulisic - AC Milan, US
-- Alexia Putellas FC Barcelona/Spain
-- Lamine Yamal - FC Barcelona/Spain
BEST GOLFER
-- Nelly Korda
-- Rory Mcllroy
-- Scottie Scheffler
-- Maja Stark
BEST TENNIS PLAYER
-- Carlos Alcaraz
-- Coco Gauff
-- Aryna Sabalenka
-- Jannik Sinner
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