All the winners from the 2021 ESPY Awards
The 2021 ESPY Awards, ESPN's annual celebration for all things sports, returned Saturday with an in-person show in New York following 2020's virtual presentation.
This year's ESPYS, which were hosted by Anthony Mackie, also featured the return of individual and team awards after those categories were scuttled in 2020 with so many seasons on pause or canceled outright due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And the 2021 ESPYS went to:
Best athlete, women's sports: Naomi Osaka, 2021 Australian Open champion
Best athlete, men's sports: Tom Brady, who led Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Super Bowl 55 title
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Chris Nikic
"We have to get 1% better every day." @ChrisNikic, the first person with Down syndrome to complete an @IRONMANtri, is this year's Jimmy V Award for Perseverance recipient.
An inspiring story of strength, determination and perseverance 👏 pic.twitter.com/WAjDjcFeXF— ESPYS (@ESPYS) July 11, 2021
"It's easy to make excuses and quit. I don’t do excuses. I don’t quit."@ChrisNikic's speech after receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance was everything 👏 pic.twitter.com/2FId61blH0
— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021
Arthur Ashe Courage Award: Maya Moore
.@MooreMaya is the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
Her story of sacrifice, courage and strength will forever inspire ❤️ pic.twitter.com/81MkFYBoVv— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021
"Power is not meant to be gripped with a clenched fist, ... power is meant to be handled generously so we can thoughtfully empower one another to thrive in our communities, ... championing our humanity before our ambitions." —@MooreMaya pic.twitter.com/NcLo4VdfPh
— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021
Pat Tillman Award for Service: Marcus Rashford, English soccer star who plays for Manchester United
Manchester United and England star @MarcusRashford is the recipient of this year's Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Rashford, who has spoken about his reliance on free school meals as a child, helped raise millions of dollars to help feed children in England. pic.twitter.com/8ECo2LFtOO— ESPYS (@ESPYS) July 11, 2021
Best record-breaking performance: Russell Westbrook, who broke Oscar Robertson's NBA record for career triple-doubles
.@russwest44 takes home the ESPY for Best Record Breaking Performance after an incredible season 👏 pic.twitter.com/2oP4QTVa0b
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 11, 2021
Best breakthrough athlete: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets guard and NBA Rookie of the Year
.@MELOD1P wins Best Breakthrough Athlete and may have had the best speech so far 😂 pic.twitter.com/ofOkyHtG6G
— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021
Best game: UCLA vs. Gonzaga in the men's Final Four, won by the Bulldogs on Jalen Suggs' overtime buzzer-beater
Best play: The "Hail Murray," Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray's Hail Mary pass to DeAndre Hopkins to beat the Buffalo Bills last season
Best team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Super Bowl 55 champions
Best championship performance: Simone Biles, Olympic gymnastic champion
Best championship moment: Los Angeles Dodgers win their first World Series since 1988
Best coach: Tara VanDerveer, Stanford women's basketball coach who passed Pat Summitt on wins list and led Cardinal to 2021 national title
Best college athlete, men's sports: DeVonta Smith, Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver from Alabama
Best college athlete, women's sports: Paige Bueckers, star freshman for UConn women's basketball team
"To all the incredible Black women in my life, on my teams. To Breonna Taylor and all the lives lost. To those names I have not yet learned but I hope to share — I stand behind you and I will continue to follow you and follow your lead and fight for you guys.”
— Paige Bueckers pic.twitter.com/uhGiMAYHSu— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021
Best NBA Player: Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors
.@StephenCurry30 thanks his fans for voting for him to take home the ESPY for Best NBA Player 👏 pic.twitter.com/uweHklcu6S
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 11, 2021
Best WNBA player: Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm
“In the WNBA, it’s bigger than basketball. We’re continuing to fight for social justice, for social change. We’re always at the forefront of it.” @breannastewart accepts her ESPY for Best WNBA Player 🏆 pic.twitter.com/VrJfyljPT8
— espnW (@espnW) July 10, 2021
Best NFL player: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
Best MLB player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels DH and pitcher
Best NHL player: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks winger
Best international athlete, women's soccer: Samantha Mewis
Sam Mewis takes home the ESPY for Best International Athlete, Women's Soccer 🏆
See ya in Tokyo, @sammymewy!
📺 Catch the @ESPYS tonight at 8 PM ET on @ABCNetwork pic.twitter.com/zi0mCe5yH4— espnW (@espnW) July 10, 2021
Best international athlete, men's soccer: Cristiano Ronaldo
The fans voted and @Cristiano takes home the ESPY for Best International Athlete, Men's Soccer 🏆 pic.twitter.com/UCmfHko10e
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 10, 2021
Best driver: Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver
.@LewisHamilton takes home the prize for Best Driver 🏆
📺 The ESPYS | Tonight at 8 PM ET on @ABCNetwork pic.twitter.com/a1xaCVP4Ps— ESPYS (@ESPYS) July 10, 2021
Best WWE moment: Sasha Banks, Bianca Belair headline WrestleMania, the first Black women to do so
Best athlete, men's golf: Phil Mickelson, 2021 PGA Championship winner
Best athlete, women's golf: Sei Young Kim
Best MLS player: Diego Rossi of LAFC
Best NWSL: Julie Ertz of the Chicago Red Stars
Best boxer: Tyson Fury
Best MMA fighter: Khabib Nurmagomedov
Best athlete, men's tennis: Novak Djokovic
Best athlete, women's tennis: Naomi Osaka
Best athlete, men's action sports: Surfer Gabriel Medina
Best athlete, women's action sports: Snowboarder Chloe Kim, Snowboard
Best jockey: Joel Rosario
Best athlete with a disability, men's sports: Triathlete Chris Nikic
Best athlete with a disability, women's sports: Wheelchair basketball player Becca Murray
Best bowler: Tom Daugherty
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ESPYS 2021: All the winners from ESPN ESPY Awards show
