The sporting world’s elite will descend on downtown Los Angeles Wednesday night for the 2016 ESPY Awards, honoring the best athletes and moments in sports from the past year — including the presentation of an Icon Award to retired Laker Kobe Bryant.
Even Vice President Joe Biden will stop by for the event.
Also receiving Icon Awards during the ceremony at the Microsoft Theater will be Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos and retired soccer star Abby Wambach. Justin Timberlake will make the presentation.
Wrestler-actor John Cena will host the ceremony, which will also feature a presentation of the Jimmy V Perseverance Award to Turner Sports broadcaster Craig Sager. Known for the often-outrageous suits he wears while working the sidelines of NBA games, Sager will be honored for continuing his work while battling leukemia. Vice President Joe Biden will present Sager with the award.
U.S. Army Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, who suffered a debilitating injury to both hips while serving in Iraq but is now a top-ranked Paraswimmer — winning four gold medals at this year’s Invictus Games — will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The show will include a tribute to the late Muhammad Ali, featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Among those scheduled to present at the show are longtime ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, Houston Texas defensive standout JJ Watt, Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, Kansas City Royals slugger Eric Hosmer and beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings.
Here is a complete list of nominees: BEST MALE ATHLETE Stephen Curry Cam Newton Bryce Harper LeBron James BEST FEMALE ATHLETE Breanna Stewart Elena Delle Donne Katie Ledecky Simone Biles BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE Von Miller — Super Bowl Carli Lloyd — World Cup Final Sidney Crosby — Stanley Cup Playoffs LeBron James — NBA Finals BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE Jake Arrieta Conor McGregor Chloe Kim Karl-Anthony Towns BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE Stephen Curry — single season three-pointers made Geno Auriemma — most NCAA basketball titles in D1 history (11) Christian McCaffery — single season NCAAF all-purpose yards BEST UPSET Holly Holm knocks out Ronda Rousey — UFC Middle Tennessee over Michigan State — Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Roberta Vinci over Serena Williams — US Open BEST GAME Villanova vs. North Carolina — Men’s NCAA Basketball Final Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers — NFL Divisional Round Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers — NBA Finals Game 7 BEST PLAY (16 NOMINEES VOTED BRACKET-STYLE) Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary vs. 16. Crazy 66-yard Ole Miss’ TD Kris Jenkins buzzer beater vs. 15. Connor McDavid goal Michigan St punt block TD vs. 14. Stanford trick play w/ circus catch LeBron Game 7 block vs. 13. Louis Oosthuizen hole-in-one off of ball Steph Curry 38-foot game-winner vs. 12. Army softball player leaps over tag Holly Holm knockout of Ronda Rousey vs. 11. Bartolo Colon first home run Tiffany Howard HR robbery WCWS vs. 10. Josh Donaldson diving into stands Jairo Samerio scores on scissor-kick ground vs. 9. Dele Alli juggling goal for Tottenham BEST TEAM Cleveland Cavaliers Pittsburgh Penguins Kansas City Royals Denver Broncos Alabama Crimson Tide UConn Huskies Villanova Wildcats BEST COACH/MANAGER Ned Yost — Kansas City Royals Geno Auriemma — UConn Huskies Jay Wright — Villanova Wildcats Nick Saban — Alabama Crimson Tide Tyronn Lue — Cleveland Cavaliers BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE Cristiano Ronaldo Novak Djokovic Lydia Ko Luis Suarez Canelo Alvarez BEST NFL PLAYER Cam Newton Tom Brady JJ Watt Antonio Brown Julio Jones BEST MLB PLAYER Bryce Harper Josh Donaldson Jake Arrieta Mike Trout Clayton Kershaw BEST NHL PLAYER Patrick Kane Alex Ovechkin Sidney Crosby Joe Pavelski Braden Holtby BEST DRIVER Kyle Busch Lewis Hamilton Erica Enders-Stevens Scott Dixon Alexander Rossi BEST NBA PLAYER Stephen Curry Kawhi Leonard LeBron James Kevin Durant Russell Westbrook BEST WNBA PLAYER Elena Delle Donne Maya Moore Angel McCoughtry Tina Charles DeWanna Bonner BEST FIGHTER Conor McGregor Gennady Golovkin Canelo Alvarez Robbie Lawler Roman Gonzalez BEST MALE GOLFER Jason Day Dustin Johnson Danny Willett Jordan Spieth BEST FEMALE GOLFER Lydia Ko Inbee Park Brooke Henderson Ariya Jutanugarn BEST MALE TENNIS PLAYER Novak Djokovic Andy Murray Roger Federer BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER Angelique Kerber Flavia Pennetta Serena Williams Garbine Muguruza BEST MALE COLLEGE ATHLETE Derrick Henry Buddy Hield Jordan Morris Jarrion Lawson Alex Dieringer BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE Breanna Stewart Raquel Rodriguez Samantha Bricio Taylor Cummings Sierra Romero BEST MALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETE Ryan Dungey Gus Kenworthy Nyjah Huston Pedro Barros Mark McMorris BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETE Chloe Kim Keala Kennelly Jamie Anderson Carissa Moore BEST JOCKEY Mario Gutierrez Kent Desormeaux Javier Castellano Irad Ortiz Jr. BEST MALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY Richard Browne Joe Berenyi Aaron Fotheringham Nikko Landeros Brad Snyder BEST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY Tatyana McFadden Heather Erickson Oksana Masters Shawn Morelli BEST BOWLER Jason Belmonte Jesper Svensson Ryan Ciminelli Anthony Simonsen BEST MLS PLAYER Sebastian Giovinco Kei Kamara Laurent Ciman Luis Robles.
—City News Service