Kevin Durant, Richard Sherman, Ronda Rousey and the Seattle Seahawks were among the big winners at The 2014 ESPYS hosted by Drake
The biggest stars from the worlds of sports and entertainment gathered in downtown Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Wednesday night to celebrate the best sports stories of the year at The ESPYS Presented by Capital One, which aired live on ESPN.
NBA MVP Kevin Durant capped off a championship season with his first ESPY ever for Best Male Athlete and Best NBA Player. Both ESPYS broke two-year winning streaks held by LeBron James.
Seattle Seahawk cornerback Richard Sherman won the ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete. Sherman was one of the leaders of the Legion of Boom secondary that allowed the fewest passing yards in the league and anchored the top overall defense in the NFL en route to the first Super Bowl win in franchise history. He led the NFL with his eight interceptions along with being named to the 2014 Pro Bowl as the top vote getter among defensive players.
Professional fighters were in the spotlight as Floyd Mayweather Jr. won his third straight ESPY for Best Fighter and sixth ESPY overall. Ronda Rousey, who won for Best Female Athlete, is the first UFC Fighter (man or woman) to win an ESPY in that category
Three awards served as the emotional pinnacle of the industry-wide sports celebration. Stuart Scott was presented the Jimmy V Perseverance Award, given each year in honor of the late Jim Valvano and The V Foundation for Cancer Research, for the passion and determination he has displayed in the face of cancer. The Arthur Ashe Courage Award was presented to Michael Sam for breaking stereotypes, paving the way for others following him and displaying courage that resonates beyond sports.
And a new annual award added this year, The Pat Tillman Award for Service, was given to Josh Sweeney, a Purple Heart recipient and a member of the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team that won the gold medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The award honors an individual with a strong connection to sports that has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the late Pat Tillman.
COMPLETE LIST OF THE 2014 ESPYS WINNERS
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Richard Sherman
Best Moment: U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team
Best Game: Iron Bowl
Best Record-Breaking Performance: Peyton Manning
Best Play: Chris Davis
Best Female Athlete: Ronda Rousey
Best Male Athlete: Kevin Durant
Best Team: Seattle Seahawks
Best Upset: Mercer
Best Female Action Sports Athlete: Jamie Anderson
Best Male Action Sports Athlete: Nyjah Huston
Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Jamie Whitmore
Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Declan Farmer
Best Female College Athlete: Breanna Stewart
Best Male College Athlete: Doug McDermott
Best Coach/Manager: Gregg Popovich
Best MLS Player: Tim Cahill
Best NBA Player: Kevin Durant
Best NFL Player: Peyton Manning
Best NHL Player: Sidney Crosby
Best MLB Player: Miguel Cabrera
Best WNBA Player: Maya Moore
Best Female US Olympian: Jamie Anderson
Best Male US Olympian: Sage Kotsenburg
Championship Performance: Kawhi Leonard
Best Bowler: Pete Weber
Best Female Tennis Player: Maria Sharapova
Best Male Tennis Player: Rafael Nadal
Best Comeback Athlete: Russell Westbrook
Best Female Golfer: Michelle Wie
Best Male Golfer: Bubba Watson
Best International Athlete: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Fighter: Floyd Mayweather
Best Driver: Ryan Hunter-Reay
Best Jockey: Victor Espinoza
