The 2026 ESPY Awards wrapped up at the David H. Koch Theater in New York City on Wednesday night, and Jalen Brunson walked away with the heaviest hardware. The New York Knicks guard secured both “Best NBA Player” and “Best Championship Performance” following a historic run that brought a title back to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 1973. Hosted by Marcello Hernandez, the ABC broadcast leaned heavily into basketball royalty, but collegiate athletes delivered some of the most memorable moments.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza claimed “Best College Athlete” on the men’s side. His undefeated 16-0 season marked the first of its kind in FBS history, permanently cementing his legacy in Bloomington. Over on the women’s side, UCLA basketball star Lauren Betts took home the counterpart award. She used her time at the microphone to deliver a sharp, vital message about the importance of mental health in modern athletics. But she wasn’t the only athlete mounting a high-profile return to the spotlight. Figure skater Alyssa Liu captured “Best Breakthrough Athlete” after securing an Olympic gold medal, a triumph that came after she took two full years off from competitive skating.
Brunson’s dual victories also cap a bizarre, hyper-specific statistical anomaly for the New York franchise. He forms the centerpiece of the “Nova Knicks,” becoming part of the first trio of teammates to win both NCAA and NBA titles together. That chemistry was obvious off the court too. Teammate Mikal Bridges openly campaigned for the franchise to win the “Best Team” category during the nomination cycle. Brunson used his speech to credit his family and the locker room for ending the 1973 title drought, according to Field Level Media. Later in the evening, Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry stepped away from his usual shooting accolades to accept the “Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian” award. The committee recognized Curry for his “Eat, Learn, Play” charity, an initiative directly building playgrounds and feeding children across the Oakland area.
The broadcast shifted into its traditional Pillar Awards to close the night. Former New York Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott, who threw a 1993 no-hitter despite being born without a right hand, accepted the “Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.” Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and former Rider University track athlete Scott Ruskan received the “Pat Tillman Award for Service.” The room finally went entirely silent for the posthumous presentation of the “Arthur Ashe Award for Courage.” The honor went to Jason Collins, the first openly gay active player in the four major American sports leagues, who recently died after a battle with Stage 4 glioblastoma.