ESPYS 2026 Winners: Full List of Every Award Winner

The complete ESPYS 2026 winners list has been confirmed, with Jalen Brunson, A’ja Wilson, Shohei Ohtani and the New York Knicks collecting several of the night’s biggest honours. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City, with comedian Marcello Hernández serving as host.

Brunson finished as the leading competitive winner after taking Best Athlete in Men’s Sports, Best Championship Performance and Best NBA Player. The Knicks were named Best Team, while OG Anunoby received Best Play.

The ESPYS have recognised sporting achievement since 1993 while supporting the V Foundation for Cancer Research. ESPN says it has helped raise more than $292 million for the organisation over the past 33 years.

Full list of ESPYS 2026 winners

Best Athlete – Men’s Sports: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Best Athlete – Women’s Sports: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

Best Team: New York Knicks

Best Championship Performance: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Best Breakthrough Athlete: Alysa Liu, U.S. Figure Skating

Best Comeback Athlete: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Best Record-Breaking Performance: Myles Garrett

Best Single-Game Performance: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Best Play: OG Anunoby, New York Knicks

Best College Athlete – Men’s Sports: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana football

Best College Athlete – Women’s Sports: Lauren Betts, UCLA women’s basketball

Best Athlete with a Disability: Declan Farmer, Para Hockey

Best NFL Player: Myles Garrett

Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Best NHL Player: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Best NBA Player: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Best WNBA Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

Best Driver: Lando Norris, Formula One

Best Fighter: Terence Crawford, boxing

Best Soccer Player: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami CF

Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler

Best Tennis Player: Carlos Alcaraz

The results and any later official corrections can be checked through the official ESPN ESPYS 2026 winners list.

Special awards and humanitarian honours

Stephen Curry received the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his work through the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, which he co-founded with Ayesha Curry. The organisation supports children in Oakland through food access, literacy, education and safe places to play.

Curry used his acceptance remarks to encourage athletes to use their platforms to strengthen the communities that helped shape them. His message focused on collective action and the long-term impact sport can have beyond competition.

Former NBA player Jason Collins received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award posthumously. His twin brother, Jarron Collins, accepted the honour during an emotional tribute recognising Jason’s courage, visibility and influence beyond basketball.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, while U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan received the Pat Tillman Award for Service after being recognised for helping save 165 people during severe flooding in Texas.

Maddie DiMaria and Grady Emerson were named Gatorade Players of the Year. Kelis Armstrong, Julia Howe and Samuel Phillips received the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award.

The biggest winners of the night

Brunson’s three individual awards, combined with the Knicks’ Best Team victory and Anunoby’s Best Play honour, made the ceremony a major night for New York basketball. A’ja Wilson won both Best Athlete in Women’s Sports and Best WNBA Player, continuing her run among the most influential players in the sport.

Shohei Ohtani also earned two awards, taking Best MLB Player and Best Single-Game Performance. His victories reflected the continued impact of his two-way ability as both a hitter and pitcher.

Host, performers and red-carpet highlights

Marcello Hernández hosted the ceremony, while performers and entertainment guests included De La Soul, Ghostface Killah, Slick Rick and the Savannah Bananas. Presenters included Simone Biles, Allyson Felix and Eileen Gu.

The red carpet featured Alysa Liu, Sunisa Lee, Jalen Brunson, Stephen and Ayesha Curry, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jordyn Woods, Myles Garrett, Chloe Kim, Ilona Maher, Kevin Hart, Russell Wilson, Dwight Howard and Mike Tyson.

Why the ESPYS remain different

The 2026 ceremony combined championship performances and individual records with awards for courage, perseverance, public service and humanitarian work. That broader focus gives the ESPYS a different role from a conventional sports-results event.

Awards interest has also extended beyond sport this year. Film audiences can review the BAFTAs 2026 winners and their effect on the Oscar race.