The world of sports converged in Los Angeles on July 16 (Wednesday) for the annual ESPY Awards. Since 1993, the event has celebrated the most inspiring athletes and unforgettable moments from the past year in sports. At the star-studded awards ceremony, gymnastics phenom Simone Biles emerged as the big winner of the night, taking home two of the most coveted individual honors. 

Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist, won the first award of the evening, Best Championship Performance, for her efforts at the Summer Paris Games. She took home three golds and a silver, leading the U.S. to win its first team title since 2016.

“Before I get into it, I first want to offer my sincere condolences to all those impacted by the devastating flash flooding on July 4th in Central Texas,” Biles opened her speech. “Words can’t replace the pain, but our hearts are with you in this tragic time.”

“I'm honored to receive this award. The recognition means more than you guys know. I would like to thank the people who have stood with me on this journey — my teammates, my competitors, my coaches, family, and fans who have lifted me up every step of the way,” Biles continued. “I wouldn't be standing here without all of you.”

NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was also a big winner of the evening, capping off his historic season leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA championship last month while winning the league MVP and scoring champion. He won for Best Male Athlete.

“It’s a dream come true, and for dreams to come true, it takes a village,”  Gilgeous-Alexander said, thanking his wife, parents, brother, and others. “Those names probably don’t mean much, but to me they mean everything.”

SGA then described his teammates as the "best basketball team in the world," noting they "earned that, they deserve that."

 "I love you guys too, not as much as the other guys, but I love you guys too,” he joked. 

Oscar Robertson, the iconic Basketball Hall of Famer, was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage presented by Russell Westbrook.

In 1970, Robertson served as president of the NBA Players’ Association during the landmark antitrust lawsuit against the NBA. The suit led to an extensive reform of the league’s strict free agency, new NBA draft rules, and higher salaries for all players. He was the first Black president of any sports labor union.

“I knew there was work to do. There was a desperate need for players to have more career security, improved working conditions, and other accommodations,” the 86-year-old said. “In life, it’s important to be persistent, or as I have been called, stubborn. Stubborn about what you believe in.”

Sloane Stephens, a former US Open winner, was awarded the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award. For her incredible work off the court with the Sloane Stephens Foundation, where she uses “Tennis and education to change the narrative of poverty, health inequity, and educational underdevelopment.”

“I know I was put here to hit more than just a tennis ball,” Stephens said.

"This work doesn't happen in isolation. We've built something powerful, but we're just getting started,” Stephens continued. “There's no limit to what we can do when we pull our resources, relationships, and platforms.”

Echoing Ali’s famous words, she concluded her speech by saying, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth."

Check below for a complete list of the 2025 ESPY winners:

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

WINNER: Simone Biles – 2024 Olympics Women’s All-Around

BEST PLAY

WINNER: Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle – NFL (11/3/24)

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE

WINNER: Ilona Maher – Rugby

BEST ATHLETE – MEN’S SPORTS

WINNER: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder

BEST ATHLETE – WOMEN’S SPORTS

WINNER: Simone Biles – Gymnast

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE

WINNER: Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE

WINNER: Suni Lee – Gymnast

BEST TEAM

WINNER: Philadelphia Eagles – NFL

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE – MEN’S SPORTS

WINNER: Cooper Flagg – Duke Basketball

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE – WOMEN’S SPORTS

WINNER: JuJu Watkins – USC Basketball

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY

WINNER: Noah Elliott – Snowboard

BEST NFL PLAYER

WINNER: Saquon Barkley – Philadelphia Eagles

BEST MLB PLAYER

WINNER: Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers

BEST NHL PLAYER

WINNER: Leon Draisaitl – Edmonton Oilers,

BEST NBA PLAYER

WINNER: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder

BEST WNBA PLAYER

WINNER: Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever

BEST DRIVER

WINNER: Max Verstappen – F1

BEST UFC FIGHTER

WINNER: Merab Dvalishvili

BEST BOXER

WINNER: Katie Taylor

BEST SOCCER PLAYER

WINNER: Christian Pulisic – AC Milan, US

BEST GOLFER

WINNER: Scottie Scheffler

BEST TENNIS PLAYER

WINNER: Coco Gauff