LOS ANGELES — The 2025 ESPYS celebrated the best in sports Wednesday night at the Dolby Theatre, with Simone Biles, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Suni Lee, Ilona Maher, Alexander Ovechkin and the Philadelphia Eagles among the night’s top winners.
Hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, the annual awards show aired live on ABC and streamed on ESPN+. Gillis opened the night with a sharp monologue, playfully roasting stars like Aaron Rodgers, Bill Belichick, Shohei Ohtani and Biles herself.
Biles, who won Best Athlete in Women’s Sports and Best Championship Performance for her gold-medal effort at the 2024 Olympics, headlined a night that also saw Gilgeous-Alexander win Best Athlete in Men’s Sports and Best NBA Player after his standout season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Maher, a star of Team USA Rugby, took home Best Breakthrough Athlete, while Ovechkin was honored with Best Record-Breaking Performance for becoming the NHL’s all-time goals leader. The Philadelphia Eagles earned Best Team honors following their NFC title and dominant season.
The night also recognized courage, perseverance and service with three marquee awards:
Oscar Robertson received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for his groundbreaking efforts to establish free agency in the NBA. Presented by Russell Westbrook, Robertson reflected on his fight for players’ rights, saying, “It is important to do the right thing even if it comes at great personal sacrifice.”
Katie Schumacher-Cawley, head coach of Penn State women’s volleyball, earned the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance after leading her team to the NCAA title while battling breast cancer. In an emotional speech, she said, “Cancer changed my life, but it didn’t take it. It didn’t take my spirit, and it didn’t take my team.”
David Walters and Erin Regan, greater Los Angeles first responders and former athletes, were presented the Pat Tillman Award for Service for their bravery during one of the worst wildfire disasters in Los Angeles history.
The Icon Award was presented to WNBA legend Diana Taurasi and soccer star Alex Morgan for their lasting impact on their sports and their advocacy for women athletes. Morgan honored those who paved the way, saying, “We fought to leave the game a better place than where we found it.”
The evening also featured a tribute to longtime ESPN broadcaster Lee Corso, presented by Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee, with a surprise performance by the USC marching band.
Musical performances included Busta Rhymes, Clipse, GELO, and a moving In Memoriam segment led by Tobe Nwigwe and David Michael Wyatt.
Additional ESPYS winners included:
Best College Athletes: Cooper Flagg (Duke Basketball) and JuJu Watkins (USC Basketball)
Best NFL Player: Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles)
Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Best NHL Player: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)
Best WNBA Player: Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)
Best Boxer: Katie Taylor
Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler
Best Tennis Player: Coco Gauff
Best Play: Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle (Nov. 3, 2024)
The Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award went to Sloane Stephens, and the Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year was awarded to the Indianapolis Colts.
The ESPYS also continued to raise awareness for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, contributing to over $265 million raised since its inception in 1993.