Tonight the biggest names in sports gather for the annual ESPY Awards to honour the best plays, players, and teams in sports.

Professional basketball player Stephen Curry steps away from the court to host the gala event.

The first award of the night was for Best Championship Performance went to Cooper Kupp of the NFL  Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.

Broadcastin star Joe Buck presented the Mohammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award to MLB icon Albert Pujols who is playing his final season after 22 years of professional baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals.  With 685 home runs, Pujols ranks fifth on the all time home run list.  The Dominican Republic native has created a foundation  that not only helps with citizens in his native land; but also aids people with Down’s Syndrome.

NFL player Russell Wilson and wife and recording artist Ciara present the Pat Tillman Award for Service to Command Sgt Major Gretchen Evans.  After 27 years of military service she was out of the service with a traumatic head injury, PTSD, and deaf.  She is now a part of the Veteran Advocacy group and a sportswoman with Team Unbroken.  In her acceptance speech she revealed that she was in Afghanistan when Pat Tillman lost his life defending his nation and was present when the USO center was named for him.  She noted that she will strive to live a life worthy of Pat Tillman’s legacy.

The award for Best Breakthrough Athlete award went to Olympic skier Eileen Gu.

This year Title IX celebrates 50 years; XFL owners Danny Garcia and Dwayne Johnson, Allyson Felix, Oksana Masters, Aly Raisman, Megan Rapinoe,Mickey Guyton, Billie Jean King, Lisa Leslie, Brandi Chastain, Carolyn Peck, Jocelyn Alo, Layshia Clarendon, and Chloe Kim honour the past 50 years but also acknowledge how much more still has to be done.  Danny Garcia is the first equal owner of a major sports league.  Title IX gives women equal rights to funding for sports.

The Capital One Cup winners are the University of Texas women and the University of Notre Dame men for their performance in all sports over the past year.

The award for Best Women’s Sports Athlete went to swimmer Katie Ledecky.  She encouraged all parents to have their children learn to swim; calling it an important life skill.  She encourages children to find something they are good at…and go for the gold.

Dwayne Johnson presents the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage to former heavyweight boxing champion and mayor of Kiev Vitaliy Klitschko.  Continuing to fight alongside his fellow Ukrainian citizens, Klitschko was not on hand to accept the award.

The WNBA has been named the Sports Humanitarian League of the Year.  Recognizing the WNBA is fighting inequality around the world; they also spoke on fellow basketball stars Brittney Griner who has been detained in Russia for the past 153 days.

The award for Best Record Breaking Performance went to NBA player Stephen Curry for breaking the record for scoring the most three point shots.

The award for Best Play went to Megan Rapinoe for her gold medal winning kick.  She noted that they should all celebrate tonight but starting tomorrow everyone should do all they can to get Brittney Griner out of jail and back in the U.S. again.

ESPN icon Chris Berman presents the award for the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance to college basketball commentator Dick Vitale.  John Ham noted that Vitale is personally responsible for raising over $50 million for cancer research.  After 30 years of activism, Dick Vitale himself has been diagnosed with cancer.  Jimmy V who died as a result of cancer said at the very first ESPY awards, “don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”  Vitale received a standing ovation when he took the stage.  In his acceptance speech, Vitale said that he was in awe of all the recipients and the greatness in the room.  He spoke on Jimmy V and the first ESPY Awards.

The award for Best Comeback Athlete went to Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. 

Billie Jean King is joined on stage by a group of women whom she presents the Billie Jean King Leadership Award.

The award for Best Men’s Sports Athlete went to two way baseball star Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels.  Via a video, he gave a short acceptance speech in English.

The final award of the night during the live television broadcast was for Best Team went to the NBA Golden State Warriors.


Awards not presented during the live television broadcast:
Sport Humanitarian Team of the Year: Denver Broncos
Best MMA Fighter: Charles Oliveira
Best Women’s College Athlete: Jocelyn Alo of Oklahoma Softball
Best Men’s College Athlete: Bryce Young of Alabama football
Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels
Best NFL Player: Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers
Best NBA Player: Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors
Best Game: the AFC Divisional game where the Kansas City Chief beat the Buffalo Bills in overtime
Best WWE Moment: Cod Rhodes’ return to WWE at WrestleMania
Best Women’s Olympian: swimmer Katie Ledecky
Best Men’s Olympian: swimmer Caeleb Dressel
Best International Men’s Athlete: footballer Kylian Mbappe
Best International Women’s Athlete: footballer Sam Kerr
Best NHL Player Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers
Best Driver: NASCAR driver Kyle Larson
Best WNBA Player: Candace Parker of the Chicago Sky
Best Boxer: Tyson Fury
Best Men’s Golf Athlete: Justin Thomas
Best Women’s Golf Athlete: Nelly Korda
Best Men’s Tennis Athlete: Rafael Nadal
Best Women’s Tennis Athlete: Emma Raducanu
Best Men’s Action Sports Athlete: Supercross Eli Tomac
Best Women’s Action Sports Athlete: Skier Eileen Gu
Best Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Best Men’s Sports Athlete with a Disability: Paratriathlon Brad Snyder
Best Women’s Sports Athlete with a Disability: swimmer Jessica Long
Best Bowler: Kyle Troup
Best NLS Player: Carlos Vela
Best NWSL Player: Ashley Hatch