News Page

Main Content

ESPY Award winners 2025: Full results, highlights, best moments from the ESPYs

The Sporting News's profile
Original Story by The Sporting News
July 17, 2025
ESPY Award winners 2025: Full results, highlights, best moments from the ESPYs

For one night each summer, the sports world pauses and recognizes the best players, coaches, and performances from the past year.

The 2025 ESPY Awards were hosted by comedian Shane Gillis at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Trophies were handed out for best male athlete (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), best female athlete (Simone Biles), best record-breaking performance (Alex Ovechkin), and more.

Many athletes like Russell Wilson, Lindsey Vonn, and Billie Jean King were presenters, and several celebrities, such as Druski and Alison Brie, were also in the house. An incredible tribute to the retiring Lee Corso by Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee and a speech by this year's Jimmy V Award recipient, Penn State volleyball coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley were two of many highlights from the night.

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

 The Sporting News tracked live updates and results throughout the 2025 ESPY awards.

MORE ESPYs: 

ESPYS list of categories, nominees, winners, highlights

10:57 p.m. — Druski presents the award for Best Team, which goes to the Eagles.

10:50 p.m. — Alex Ovechkin wins Best Record-Breaking Performance for becoming the NHL's all-time goals leader, surpassing Wayne Gretzky.

10:40 p.m. — SGA wins Best Athlete, Men's Sports. The incredible run in 2025 for the Thunder guard continues.

10:30 p.m. — Oscar Robertson, the Basketball Hall of Famer and the father of NBA free agency, receives the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage.

10:03 p.m. — Naomi Girma and Jon Jones present the award for Best Comeback Athlete to Suni Lee. She beats out Lindsey Vonn, Gabriel Landeskog and Mallory Swanson.

9:47 p.m. — David Walters and Erin Regan receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service. They are former college athletes who became firefighters and battled the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year.

9:35 p.m. — Alison Brie presents the award for Best Athlete, Women's Sports to Simone Biles, her second victory of the night.

9:25 p.m. — Alex Morgan and Diana Taurasi receive legacy awards. Both icons of the game retired this year.

9:02 p.m. — Russell Wilson presents the Jimmy V Award to Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who coached Penn State volleyball to a national title this year while battling cancer.

8:55 p.m. — Lee Corso gets an incredible tribute from ESPN. Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee do the honors.

8:45 p.m. — Anthony Ramos and Gabby Thomas present the award for Best Breakthrough Athlete to Ilona Maher. She beats out Cooper Flagg, Chloe Humphrey and Paul Skenes.

8:35 p.m. — Sloane Stephens accepts the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for her work with her foundation, which promotes diversity in tennis and provides opportunities for youth in underserved communities. 

8:25 p.m. — Lindsey Vonn and Lamar Jackson present the award for Best Play. Saquon Barkley's backwards hurdle wins the ESPY. Jordan Mailata accepts the trophy on the running back's behalf.

8:15 p.m. — Flau'jae Johnson presents the award for Best Championship Performance to Simone Biles. She beats out Freddie Freeman, Rory McIlroy and Stephen Curry.

8:05 p.m. — Shane Gillis is up on stage and into his opening monologue.

7:55 p.m. — We are about five minutes away from the start of the ESPYs. Tune in on ABC or live stream on the ESPN app.

7:45 p.m. — UConn women's basketball is repping!

7:30 p.m. — Olympic stars Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles are walking the red carpet now.

7:10 p.m. — Lee Corso arrives in style! He will be honored tonight by Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee. Aug. 30 will be his final appearance on College Gameday.

7:05 p.m. — SGA has already claimed the ESPY for NBA Player of the Year.

7:00 p.m. — Attendees are arriving to the 2025 ESPYS at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, and there is a live red carpet show over on ESPN's YouTube channel. Stay tuned for live updates throughout the night.

ESPY Award nominees 2025

Best athlete, men's sports

  • Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
  • Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Winner: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Best athlete, women's sports

  • Gabby Thomas, Track and field
  • Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Track and field
  • A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
  • Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Winner: Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Best breakthrough athlete

  • Chloe Humphrey, UNC lacrosse
  • Cooper Flagg, Duke men's basketball
  • Ilona Maher, Team USA rugby
  • Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

Winner: Ilona Maher, Team USA rugby

Best record-breaking performance

  • Alex Ovechkin becomes the NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer
  • Kevin Durant becomes Team USA basketball's all-time leading Olympic scorer
  • Caitlin Clark breaks the WNBA records for single-game assists and single-season assists
  • Geno Auriemma becomes NCAA basketball's all-time wins leader

Winner: Alex Ovechkin

Best championship performance

  • Rory McIlroy wins the Masters to become golf's sixth-ever Grand Slam champion
  • Freddie Freeman fits walk-off grand slam in the World Series, wins World Series MVP
  • Stephen Curry scores 24 points in men's basketball Olympics gold medal game
  • Simone Biles becomes third woman to win second individual all-around gold medal at the Olympics

Winner: Simone Biles

MORE: Why comedian Shane Gillis was tabbed as the host for 2025 ESPYs

Best comeback athlete

  • Mallory Swanson, Chicago Stars FC/USWNT
  • Suni Lee, Gymnastics
  • Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
  • Lindsey Vonn, Skiing

Winner: Suni Lee, Gymnastics

Best play

  • Tyrese Haliburton hits buzzer-beater in Game 1 of the NBA Finals
  • Saquon Barkley backwards hurdle vs. the Jaguars
  • Sabrino Ionescu clinches WNBA Finals Game 3 with a three-pointer
  • Trinity Rodman scores game-winning OT goal in Olympic quarterfinals

Winner: Saquon Barkley

Best team

  • UConn, NCAA women's basketball
  • USWNT
  • UNC, NCAA women's lacrosse
  • Philadelphia Eagles, NFL
  • Ohio State, NCAA football
  • New York Liberty, WNBA
  • Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB
  • Florida Panthers, NHL
  • Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA

Winner: Philadelphia Eagles, NFL

Best college athlete, men's sports

  • C.J. Kirst, Cornell lacrosse
  • Wyatt Hendrickson, Oklahoma State wrestling
  • Travis Hunter, Colorado football
  • Cooper Flagg, Duke basketball

Winner: Cooper Flagg, Duke basketball

Best college athlete, women's sports

  • Gretchen Walsh, Virginia swimming
  • Kate Faase, UNC soccer
  • Olivia Babcock, Pittsburgh volleyball
  • JuJu Watkins, USC basketball

Winner: JuJu Watkins, USC basketball

Best athlete with a disability

  • Grace Norman, Triathlon
  • Tatyana McFadden, Track and field
  • Noah Elliott, Snowboarding
  • Ezra French, Track and field

Winner: Noah Elliott, Snowboarding

Best NFL player

  • Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
  • Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
  • Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
  • Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos

Winner: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles

Best MLB player

  • Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
  • Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

Winner: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Best NHL player

  • Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
  • Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
  • Conner Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Winner: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers

Best NBA player

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
  • Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Winner: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Best WNBA player

  • A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
  • Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
  • Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
  • Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

Winner: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

MORE: Full list of athletes, actors and more to host the ESPYs

Best driver

  • Joey Logano, NASCAR
  • Oscar Piastri, F1
  • Max Verstappen, F1
  • Alex Palou, IndyCar

Winner: Max Verstappen, FI

Best UFC fighter

  • Dricus du Plessis
  • Merab Dvalishvili
  • Kayla Harrison
  • Islam Makhachev

Winner: Merab Dvalishvili

Best boxer

  • Claressa Shields
  • Oleksandr Usyk
  • Katie Taylor
  • Naoya Inoue

Winner: Katie Taylor

Best soccer player

  • Alexia Putellas, FC Barcelona/Spain
  • Lamine Yamal, FC Barcelona/Spain
  • Aitana Bonmati, FC Barcelona/Spain
  • Christian Pulisic, AC Milan/USMNT

Winner: Christian Pulisic, AC Milan/USMNT

 

Best golfer

 

  • Maja Stark
  • Rory McIlroy
  • Scottie Scheffler
  • Nelly Korda

Winner: Scottie Scheffler

Best tennis player

  • Coco Gauff
  • Aryna Sabalenka
  • Carlos Alcaraz
  • Jannik Sinner

Winner: Coco Gauff

How to watch the 2025 ESPY Awards show

  • Time: Wednesday, July 16 at 8 p.m. ET
  • Channel: ABC
  • Live stream: ESPN App | Fubo

Cable subscribers can watch the 2025 ESPYS on ABC. Streaming options include ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

Another option is Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks — ABC included — and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Sidebar Content

Latest Sports

Related Stories