The 2025 ESPYs have wrapped up after starting with a bang thanks to comedian Shane Gillis playing host.
While hosts like
Serena Williams,
Stephen Curry, and other entertainers like
Drake are great, Gillis is a habitual line stepper and immediately started with the uncomfortable jokes in his monologue.
Some were lighthearted, such as Sugar Ray Leonard fighting
Jake Paul in 10 years for a cash grab, or
Shedeur Sanders’ nepotism, calling NBA champion
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a free-throw merchant, and
Karl Anthony Towns’ zestiness, but then he went further.
“When Caitlin Clark retires from the WNBA, she’s going to work at a Waffle House so she can continue doing what she loves most: fist-fighting black women,” he said to the shocked crowd.
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Gillis roasted Deshaun Watson’s dozens of sexual assault claims from message therapists, saying, “Please keep your hands where my eyes can see — is what they say when DeShawn Watson gets a massage.”
He also dipped into politics and
Donald Trump’s immigration takeover.
“Joe Rogan wanted me to be here to host this award show so that I could capture Adam Silver because Joe thinks he’s an alien,” he joked. “Donald Trump wanted me to be here to capture Juan Soto for the same reason.”
Gillis even made a January 6 joke about
Mike Pence almost dying and took a dig at the
Epstein files, sarcastically saying he’s sure they got deleted— or never really existed.
Plenty of the night’s winners were expected, like the Super Bowl-winning
Philadelphia Eagles, who took home the award for best team of the year, beating out UConn’s women’s basketball team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the World Series-winning
Los Angeles Dodgers.
As for the best male athlete in the world, it went to the NBA Finals MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On the flip side, Simone Biles won for the women, marking her second win of the night after first being presented the 2025 ESPY for Best Championship Performance.
It comes after a break from gymnastics due to the
“twisties” and a triumphant return that led to her winning four medals at the Paris Olympics, during which she spoke about how she overcame those struggles.
“Having a strong support system that understands your dreams, who are willing to show up for you, not just when you’re winning, but when you’re struggling, too, is really important,” Biles said onstage. “My sincere gratitude, appreciation and love to all of you who have stood with me on this magical journey, all the highs, lows, twists and turns along the way.”
Other expected winners of the night included Saquon Barkley, who won two ESPYs for top NFL Player and Best Play, Cooper Flagg and Juju Watkins for best college athletes, Coco Gauff for best tennis player, and Caitlin Clark for the best WNBA player.
The ESPYs always honor the positive impact sports have had on athletes, so this year’s Jimmy V Award for perseverance was given to Penn State women’s volleyball head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, as she battled cancer while leading her team to a championship-winning season.
The Icon Award went to two pioneering women in sports in their respective fields: Diana Taurasi, who dedicated more than 20 years of her life to the WNBA, and World Cup-winning soccer player Alex Morgan.
Tennis player Sloane Stephens was honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for her work with her
namesake foundation that teaches at-risk youth in Compton tools for success on and off the tennis court.
Another significant honor of the night is the Pat Tillman Award for Service, presented to those who follow in the footsteps of the former NFL player and Army Ranger. The award went to swimmer-turned-firefighter David Walters, who won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and former Wake Forest College star Erin Regan, who’s also a firefighter and fought the Pacific Palisades firefighters earlier this year.
NBA legend Oscar Robertson was also on hand after being presented the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage by
Russell Westbrook. Not only is Robertson a pioneering Black NBA player, but he also founded the players’ association and ushered in the free agency era.
“It was a desperate need for players to have more security,” the 86-year-old said during his acceptance speech. “It’s important to be persistent, or as I’ve been called, stubborn,” Robertson said. “It’s important to do the right thing even if it comes at personal sacrifice.”
Gillis’ jokes aside, entertainment also included a Druski appearance, and
Clipse also continued their whirlwind press run for
Let God Sort Em Out by performing “Grindin'” and “Ace Trumpets.”
See social media’s reaction to the 2025 ESPYs below.
