The ESPYS Celebrate Women’s Sports
The ESPYS, hosted by Serena Williams, honored some of the biggest stars in women’s sports on Thursday night. Among the honorees were Simone Biles, A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, Dawn Staley, and JuJu Watkins.
Dawn Staley, coach of the national champion South Carolina women’s basketball team, received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. Her personal struggles with loss and illness made her acceptance speech all the more poignant.
Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, won the best comeback athlete award for her strength in prioritizing her mental health, ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever was recognized for her record-breaking performance as the NCAA’s all-time career scoring leader, as well as for her outstanding basketball career.
JuJu Watkins, a standout freshman basketball player from Southern California, won the best breakthrough athlete award for her exceptional season and leadership on the court.
The night also saw other notable winners such as Patrick Mahomes for best men’s sports athlete, Shohei Ohtani for best MLB player, and Luka Doncic for best NBA player.
Retired NFL safety Steve Gleason was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for his work in supporting people with ALS through his nonprofit, Team Gleason.
The ESPYS, which ran for three hours on ABC, faced a delay due to President Joe Biden’s news conference but continued to celebrate the achievements and resilience of athletes in various sports.
