​ESPY Award nominees 2026: Complete list of players, teams for all of the ESPYs voting categories originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Around the midway point of the year, the time to recognize top figures across the sports world has arrived.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 2026 ESPY Awards will air on Wednesday night from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City — and some of the world’s most famous athletes and their incredible moments over the past year are up for nomination.Many of the sports’ champions over their last full seasons are prominently featured, including the Seattle Seahawks, Indiana Hoosiers, Las Vegas Aces, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Knicks.Here’s the full list of teams, athletes and more up for an ESPY award in 2026.MORE: Every ESPY Award host by yearBest athlete, men’s sportsJalen Brunson, New York KnicksLionel Messi, Inter Miami CFShohei Ohtani, Los Angeles DodgersMatthew Stafford, Los Angeles RamsAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBest athlete, women’s sportsHilary Knight, HockeyNelly Korda, GolfMikaela Shiffrin, SkiBest breakthrough athleteMacklin Celebrini, San Jose SharksAlysa Liu, Figure SkatingDrake Maye, New England PatriotsFernando Mendoza, Indiana FootballBest record-breaking performanceMyles Garrett, Cleveland Browns – broke the NFL single-season sack recordMegan Grant, UCLA Softball – broke the NCAA single-season softball home run recordJohannes Høsflot Klæbo, Cross-Country Skier – first athlete to win six golds at Winter GamesSabastian Sawe, Long-Distance Runner – first to finish a marathon in under two hoursBest championship performanceJalen Brunson, New York KnicksAerin Frankel, USA Women’s HockeyConnor Hellebuyck, USA Men’s HockeyTeagan Kavan, Texas Longhorns SoftballBest comeback athleteAnthony Kim, GolfSavy King, Angel City FCChristian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ersKyndal Stowers, Texas A&M VolleyballBest playGolden Goal for Gold! – Olympic Women’s HockeyGolden Goal for Gold! – Olympic Men’s HockeyUConn stuns Duke with Braylon Mullins’ buzzer-beating 3 – NCAA Men’s March MadnessOG Anunoby’s Tip-In – NBA FinalsCaleb Williams Game Tying TD vs. Rams – NFLBest teamLas Vegas Aces, WNBALos Angeles Dodgers, MLBIndiana Hoosiers, NCAA FootballCarolina Hurricanes, NHLNew York Knicks, NBATexas Longhorns, NCAA SoftballSeattle Seahawks, NFLTeam USA Men’s HockeyTeam USA Women’s HockeyBest single-game performanceTyce Armstrong, Baylor Baseball – hit three grand slams in a single game, tying a record set 50 years agoBam Adebayo, Miami Heat – scored 83 points for the Miami Heat in a 150–129 win against the Washington Wizards, recording the second-highest single-game total in NBA historyHannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame Basketball – broke the NCAA record for most steals (16) in a gameShohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers – pitched six scoreless innings, stru