2026 ESPYS Awards: Nominees, Categories, and Public Voting

The 2026 ESPYS, presented by Capital One, will be staged in New York City at the David H. Koch Theater within Lincoln Center. Comedian Marcello Hernández is slated to host the ceremony, which returns to the venue after previous editions elsewhere. The awards program is described as a celebration of the biggest names and moments in sports.

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• Basketball: NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson is nominated in three categories—Best Athlete – Men’s Sports, Best Championship Performance, and Best NBA Player. His New York Knicks are among nine nominees for Best Team after securing a championship in Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs, ending a 53-year title drought.

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• Hockey: Both the USA men’s and women’s hockey teams are nominated for Best Team, recognized for gold-medal victories at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The overtime game-winning goals against Canada are nominated for Best Play. Individual nominations include Hilary Knight (Best Athlete – Women’s Sports) and Connor Hellebuyck (Best Championship Performance).

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• Women's Basketball: A’ja Wilson seeks a second Best Athlete – Women’s Sports award after winning the category in 2024 and also claiming Best WNBA Player. In 2025 she became the first player in NBA or WNBA history to capture regular-season MVP, Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and scoring title in a single season.

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• Baseball: Shohei Ohtani receives a fifth consecutive nomination for Best MLB Player and is also listed for Best Athlete – Men’s Sports and Best Single-Game Performance.

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• First-Time Nominees: Bam Adebayo (Best Single-Game Performance), Fernando Mendoza (Best Breakthrough Athlete and Best College Athlete – Men’s Sports), and Lauren Betts (Best College Athlete – Women’s Sports) appear among the newcomers.

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The ESPYS feature multiple award categories, each highlighting distinct aspects of athletic performance. Notable patterns include:

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• Repeated dominance by Shohei Ohtani in the Best MLB Player category (five consecutive years).

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• Historic achievement by A’ja Wilson, whose 2025 season combined four major NBA/WNBA honors.

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• Dual recognition of USA hockey teams for both team success and individual contributions in the Best Play nomination.

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ESPN’s promotional language frames the ceremony as “celebrating the biggest names and moments in sports.” The organization invites the public to vote, stating that “Your vote helps to determine ESPY winners.” Voting is currently open, allowing fans to influence outcomes across all listed categories.

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• Total of nine Best Team nominees (Knicks, USA men’s hockey, USA women’s hockey, plus six unspecified teams).

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• Individual nominees span at least six sports: basketball, hockey, baseball, and college athletics.

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• Multiple-category nominations: Jalen Brunson (3 categories), Shohei Ohtani (3 categories), A’ja Wilson (1 category but with historic prior achievements).

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While the exact closing date for voting is not specified in the source, the call to “Vote today” indicates an ongoing voting window preceding the live broadcast from the David H. Koch Theater. The ceremony will culminate in the announcement of winners across all categories, completing the 2026 ESPYS cycle.

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