First things first.
Lebron James is NOT retiring from the NBA! While his speech at last night’s ESPYs went viral on social media, prompting more “GOAT” talk, there were many other standout moments throughout the evening. Hosted at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, ESPN’s annual award show honored the best teams, athletes, performances, and more, across the entire sports spectrum.
“The day I can’t give the game everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done,” James said. “Lucky for you guys, today is not that day.” – Lebron James
This year, ESPN opted out of having an official host. The program ran smoothly, however, as Lil Wayne kicked things off with a medley of his hits which he remixed with sports references.
Other musical guests included H.E.R., who performed a tribute to the 30th anniversary of the V Foundation.
Recognizing athletes for their work on and off the field, the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award was given to Jrue and Lauren Holiday, introduced by Sue Bird.
Jrue shared the story of supporting his wife when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor during her pregnancy. That very personal experience inspired them to be a more cohesive, and purposeful unit. In 202, they donated millions of dollars to Black and Brown businesses! Their touching story and speech sparked positive reactions throughout social media.
Jrue and Lauren Holiday are everything that is right in this world. 🙏🏼#ESPYS
— JC – Former World Champion LLC (@JoshOnAir) July 13, 2023
Another off-the-field spotlight was given to the US Women’s National Soccer Team. Their continuous fight for equal pay, resulting in a signed agreement with U.S. Soccer, won them the Arthur Ashe Award of Courage.
Looking back at Damar Hamlin’s traumatic collapse, the Bills training staff were given the Pat Tillman Award for Service, for their relentless efforts to revive Hamlin immediately after he went into cardiac arrest.
Damar Hamlin was brought to tears when presenting the Pat Tillman Award for Service to the training staff of the Buffalo Bills ❤️ 💙 pic.twitter.com/IThNKmREyC
— ESPN (@espn) July 13, 2023
As the evening went on, a long list of winners were revealed and given their flowers. Check out some of the big winners below. And head over to ESPN for the complete list.
Best WNBA Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Best Comeback Athlete: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Best Athlete, Men’s Sports: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Angel Reese, LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball
Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Best NBA Player: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
