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The 2016 ESPYS: One Powerful Opening and The Winners
The 2016 ESPYS Awards show opened up in a different way this year.
NBA stars, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Lebron James were line up on stage, dressed in all black tuxedos, addressing the recent tragedies of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and the five Dallas police officers, all lost to gun violence.
Four friends, four black fathers with black children, said they want to follow in the footsteps of the late great, Muhammad Ali, emphasizing the necessity to speak out about social injustices. Also check out the winners below!
Best Performance: Stephen Curry, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, wins the award for draining 402 three pointers.
Best breakthrough athlete award: For his 12-4 record, 2.68 era and 121 strikeouts, Jake Arrieta takes home the award.
Pat Tillman award: Sergeant Elizabeth Marks wins the award for fighting the war in Iraq, getting injured in combat, but then becoming the top-ranked Para swimmer in the world.
Male athlete comeback player of the year award: Erik Berry, Kansas City Chiefs cornerback, won the award for battling a tumultuous battle with cancer, and winning. He made a full recovery and, now, is still a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Best moment award: The Cleveland Cavaliers take home the award after wiping out a 52-year drought of not winning a championship in the city. LeBron dedicated the award to the city, the city’s hope and Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown.
Best play award: Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers and, tight end, Richard Rodgers, escape with the award, beating out LeBron’s block in the NBA finals and Kris Jenkins game winning shot in the national championship game.
Arthur Ashe award for courage: Zaevion Dobson: The hero looking down from heaven wins the award because of an act of heroism: shielding three girls from a random shooter in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Jimmy V award: Craig Sager, the NBA’s suit maestro, wins this much deserved award as he continues to battle cancer, even while interviewing the NBA players amid TNT, and this year, ABC telecasts.
Icon Award: Abby Wambach, Peyton Manning and Kobe Bryant were honored after their illustrious careers. Peyton broke numerous passing records and won two super bowls. Kobe won numerous trophies and amassed five championships. Wambach is a member of the U.S. women’s team that just won the World Cup.
Best team award: The Cleveland Cavaliers win the award for a fantastic season culminating in an NBA title.
Best female athlete: Breanna Stewart: The UConn legend wins the award by a landslide, after winning four national titles and winning the most outstanding player award all four times.
Best male athlete: That award goes to none other than one LeBron James, the world’s greatest player, who proves, every year, that he is by far the best player in the world, and it’s not even close. This comes on the heels after the Cavs ousted the Warriors in the NBA Finals, even after being down 3-1, eclipsing a team that won 73 games in the regular season.
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