By Nicolas Dorigatti | July 16th, 2026
The biggest names in sports packed into the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Wednesday night, July 15, as ESPN handed out its annual ESPY Awards for the first time in New York City since 2021. The Capital One-sponsored ceremony, broadcast live on ABC and streamed on the ESPN App, closed the book on a 12-month stretch that included a Winter Olympics, an NBA championship five decades in the making, and one of the most lopsided upsets in the show's recent history.
A Homecoming Fit for a Champion
The move back to New York carried extra weight this year: one month earlier, the New York Knicks had won the 2026 NBA Finals, snapping a 53-year title drought for the franchise. The Knicks turned their ESPYs stop into a full victory lap, walking away with five trophies. Point guard Jalen Brunson led the haul, collecting Best Male Athlete, Best Championship Performance, and Best NBA Player, while forward OG Anunoby took Best Play for his game-winning tip-in against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the Finals. The team itself capped the night with the Best Team award, sending the hometown crowd into one last celebration before the summer.
Marcello Hernández Takes the Stage
Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernández hosted the ESPYs for the first time, calling the opportunity "an honor" that "frankly feels crazy." The Cuban- and Dominican-American comedian blended personal material with pointed jokes aimed at the room's biggest stars, and his monologue quickly became one of the most discussed segments of the broadcast. Mentalist Oz Pearlman also brought a jolt of spectacle to the evening, pulling off a mind-reading trick involving attendees in the crowd, while Will Ferrell added to the night's comedic run.
Alysa Liu's Improbable Return to Gold
Few stories at this year's ceremony matched the arc of figure skater Alysa Liu, who won Best Breakthrough Athlete after stepping away from competition for two years and then returning to capture Olympic gold at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan. Her comeback stood out even in a Winter Games remembered for record-breaking performances: Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo became the first athlete ever to win six gold medals at a single Winter Olympics, a feat that hung over much of the night's Olympic-sports conversation.
Curry's Humanitarian Honor
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry received the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award alongside his wife, Ayesha, in recognition of their Eat Learn Play Foundation and its work in Oakland. Curry called the honor "super surreal" in remarks ahead of the ceremony, and used his platform to point to the seven years of impact the foundation has had in the Bay Area community that shaped his career.
Crawford's Upset for the Ages
The night's most debated moment came in the newly consolidated Best Fighter category, which folded boxing and mixed martial arts into a single award for the first time in years. Retired boxer Terence Crawford — fresh off an unbeaten career capped by a win over Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight title — topped UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje, who entered the night as a heavy betting favorite after back-to-back wins over Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria. The result drew a sharp reaction from Gaethje's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, who publicly questioned the outcome. For Crawford, it marked his third career ESPY.
A Night of Tributes
Beyond the trophies, the 2026 ESPYs delivered some of the ceremony's most emotional moments in its three-decade history. Former NBA center Jason Collins — the league's first openly gay player, who died in May at age 47 after an eight-month battle with glioblastoma — was honored posthumously with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. His twin brother, former NBA player Jarron Collins, accepted on his behalf with a tribute that reflected on his brother's courage through his illness and the lasting impact of his decision to come out publicly in 2013. Baseball legend Jim Abbott received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and Scott Ruskan was presented with the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Other standout winners on the night included Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson, who took home Best Female Athlete and Best WNBA Player after leading her team to another championship, and Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani, who won Best MLB Player and Best Single-Game Performance for a June outing in which he pitched six scoreless innings, struck out ten batters, and hit three home runs. Presenters throughout the evening included Billie Jean King, Mike Tyson, Kevin Hart, DJ Khaled, Rauw Alejandro, Tracy Morgan, and ABC's Robin Roberts.
More Than Wins and Losses
As the ceremony wrapped, the throughline of the night wasn't just championships or highlight-reel plays — it was the stories behind them: a skater's return from the brink of retirement, a family honoring a brother's fight, and a city celebrating a title 53 years in the making. It was a fitting reminder of why the ESPYs, more than three decades after their debut, remain one of the sports calendar's most anticipated nights.
Nicolas Dorigatti is a senior contributor for Sportsmedia News, covering sports business, major events, and the intersection of sports and entertainment.