The first Athlete of the Year award in the United States was initiated by the Associated Press (AP) in 1931. At a time when women in sports were not given the same recognition as men, the AP offered a male and a female athlete of the year award to either a professional or amateur athlete. The awards are voted on annually by a panel of AP sports editors from across the United States, covering mainly American sports. As a result, a large majority of the winners have been Americans. However, non-Americans are also eligible for the honor and have won on a few occasions.
Year | Male | Female | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Sport | Name | Sport | |
1931 | Pepper Martin | Major League Baseball | Helene Madison | Swimming |
1932 | Gene Sarazen | Golf | Babe Didrikson | Track and field |
1933 | Carl Hubbell | Major League Baseball | Helen Jacobs | Tennis |
1934 | Dizzy Dean | Major League Baseball | Virginia Van Wie | Golf |
1935 | Joe Louis | Boxing | Helen Wills Moody | Tennis |
1936 | Jesse Owens | Track and field | Helen Stephens | Track and field |
1937 | Don Budge | Tennis | Katherine Rawls | Swimming |
1938 | Don Budge (2) | Tennis | Patty Berg | Golf |
1939 | Nile Kinnick | College football | Alice Marble | Tennis |
1940 | Tom Harmon | College football | Alice Marble (2) | Tennis |
1941 | Joe DiMaggio | Major League Baseball | Betty Hicks Newell | Golf |
1942 | Frank Sinkwich | College football | Gloria Callen | Swimming |
1943 | Gunder Hägg | Track and field | Patty Berg (2) | Golf |
1944 | Byron Nelson | Golf | Ann Curtis | Swimming |
1945 | Byron Nelson (2) | Golf | Babe Didrikson Zaharias (2) | Golf |
1946 | Glenn Davis | College football | Babe Didrikson Zaharias (3) | Golf |
1947 | Johnny Lujack | College football | Babe Didrikson Zaharias (4) | Golf |
1948 | Lou Boudreau | Major League Baseball | Fanny Blankers-Koen | Track and field |
1949 | Leon Hart | College football | Marlene Bauer | Golf |
1950 | Jim Konstanty | Major League Baseball | Babe Didrikson Zaharias (5) | Golf |
1951 | Dick Kazmaier | College football | Maureen Connolly | Tennis |
1952 | Bob Mathias | Track and field | Maureen Connolly (2) | Tennis |
1953 | Ben Hogan | Golf | Maureen Connolly (3) | Tennis |
1954 | Willie Mays | Major League Baseball | Babe Didrikson Zaharias (6) | Golf |
1955 | Howard Cassady | College football | Patty Berg (3) | Golf |
1956 | Mickey Mantle | Major League Baseball | Pat McCormick | Diving |
1957 | Ted Williams | Major League Baseball | Althea Gibson | Tennis |
1958 | Herb Elliott | Track and field | Althea Gibson (2) | Tennis |
1959 | Ingemar Johansson | Boxing | Maria Bueno | Tennis |
1960 | Rafer Johnson | Track and field | Wilma Rudolph | Track and field |
1961 | Roger Maris | Major League Baseball | Wilma Rudolph (2) | Track and field |
1962 | Maury Wills | Major League Baseball | Dawn Fraser | Swimming |
1963 | Sandy Koufax | Major League Baseball | Mickey Wright | Golf |
1964 | Don Schollander | Swimming | Mickey Wright (2) | Golf |
1965 | Sandy Koufax (2) | Major League Baseball | Kathy Whitworth | Golf |
1966 | Frank Robinson | Major League Baseball | Kathy Whitworth (2) | Golf |
1967 | Carl Yastrzemski | Major League Baseball | Billie Jean King | Tennis |
1968 | Denny McLain | Major League Baseball | Peggy Fleming | Figure skating |
1969 | Tom Seaver | Major League Baseball | Debbie Meyer | Swimming |
1970 | George Blanda | National Football League | Chi Cheng | Track and field |
1971 | Lee Trevino | Golf | Evonne Goolagong | Tennis |
1972 | Mark Spitz | Swimming | Olga Korbut | Gymnastics |
1973 | O. J. Simpson | National Football League | Billie Jean King (2) | Tennis |
1974 | Muhammad Ali | Boxing | Chris Evert | Tennis |
1975 | Fred Lynn | Major League Baseball | Chris Evert (2) | Tennis |
1976 | Bruce Jenner | Track and field | Nadia Comăneci | Gymnastics |
1977 | Steve Cauthen | Horse racing | Chris Evert (3) | Tennis |
1978 | Ron Guidry | Major League Baseball | Nancy Lopez | Golf |
1979 | Willie Stargell | Major League Baseball | Tracy Austin | Tennis |
1980 | U.S. Olympic hockey team | Ice hockey | Chris Evert Lloyd (4) | Tennis |
1981 | John McEnroe | Tennis | Tracy Austin (2) | Tennis |
1982 | Wayne Gretzky | National Hockey League | Mary Tabb | Track and field |
1983 | Carl Lewis | Track and field | Martina Navratilova | Tennis |
1984 | Carl Lewis (2) | Track and field | Mary Lou Retton | Gymnastics |
1985 | Dwight Gooden | Major League Baseball | Nancy Lopez (2) | Golf |
1986 | Larry Bird | National Basketball Association | Martina Navratilova (2) | Tennis |
1987 | Ben Johnson | Track and field | Jackie Joyner-Kersee | Track and field |
1988 | Orel Hershiser | Major League Baseball | Florence Griffith Joyner | Track and field |
1989 | Joe Montana | National Football League | Steffi Graf | Tennis |
1990 | Joe Montana (2) | National Football League | Beth Daniel | Golf |
1991 | Michael Jordan | National Basketball Association | Monica Seles [1] | Tennis |
1992 | Michael Jordan (2) | National Basketball Association | Monica Seles (2) | Tennis |
1993 | Michael Jordan (3) | National Basketball Association | Sheryl Swoopes | College basketball |
1994 | George Foreman | Boxing | Bonnie Blair | Speed skating |
1995 | Cal Ripken Jr. | Major League Baseball | Rebecca Lobo | College basketball |
1996 | Michael Johnson | Track and field | Amy Van Dyken | Swimming |
1997 | Tiger Woods | Golf | Martina Hingis | Tennis |
1998 | Mark McGwire | Major League Baseball | Se Ri Pak | Golf |
1999 | Tiger Woods (2) | Golf [2] | U.S. women's soccer team | Soccer |
2000 | Tiger Woods (3) | Golf [3] | Marion Jones | Track and field |
2001 | Barry Bonds | Major League Baseball [4] | Jennifer Capriati | Tennis |
2002 | Lance Armstrong | Road bicycle racing [5] | Serena Williams | Tennis |
2003 | Lance Armstrong (2) | Road bicycle racing [6] | Annika Sörenstam | Golf |
2004 | Lance Armstrong (3) | Road bicycle racing [7] | Annika Sörenstam (2) | Golf |
2005 | Lance Armstrong (4) | Road bicycle racing [8] | Annika Sörenstam (3) | Golf |
2006 | Tiger Woods (4) | Golf [9] | Lorena Ochoa | Golf |
2007 | Tom Brady | National Football League [10] | Lorena Ochoa (2) | Golf |
2008 | Michael Phelps | Swimming [11] | Candace Parker | Women's National Basketball Association |
2009 | Jimmie Johnson [12] | NASCAR | Serena Williams (2) | Tennis |
2010 | Drew Brees | National Football League [13] | Lindsey Vonn | Skiing |
2011 | Aaron Rodgers [14] | National Football League | Abby Wambach | Soccer |
2012 | Michael Phelps (2) | Swimming [15] | Gabby Douglas | Gymnastics |
2013 | LeBron James | National Basketball Association [16] | Serena Williams (3) | Tennis |
2014 | Madison Bumgarner [17] | Major League Baseball | Mo'ne Davis [18] | Little League baseball |
2015 | Stephen Curry | National Basketball Association [19] | Serena Williams (4) | Tennis |
2016 | LeBron James (2) | National Basketball Association [20] | Simone Biles | Gymnastics |
2017 | José Altuve [21] | Major League Baseball | Katie Ledecky [22] | Swimming |
2018 | LeBron James (3) [23] | National Basketball Association | Serena Williams (5) [24] | Tennis |
2019 | Kawhi Leonard [25] | National Basketball Association | Simone Biles (2) | Gymnastics |
2020 | LeBron James (4) | National Basketball Association | Naomi Osaka | Tennis |
2021 | Shohei Ohtani [26] | Major League Baseball | Candace Parker (2) [27] | Women's National Basketball Association |
2022 | Aaron Judge | Major League Baseball | Katie Ledecky (2) | Swimming |
2023 | Shohei Ohtani (2) | Major League Baseball | Simone Biles (3) | Gymnastics |
Name | Sport | Awards | Years |
---|---|---|---|
Lance Armstrong | Road bicycle racing | 4 | 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 |
Tiger Woods | Golf | 4 | 1997, 1999, 2000, 2006 |
LeBron James | Basketball | 4 | 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020 |
Michael Jordan | Basketball | 3 | 1991, 1992, 1993 |
Don Budge | Tennis | 2 | 1937, 1938 |
Sandy Koufax | Baseball | 2 | 1963, 1965 |
Carl Lewis | Track and field | 2 | 1983, 1984 |
Joe Montana | American football | 2 | 1989, 1990 |
Byron Nelson | Golf | 2 | 1944, 1945 |
Shohei Ohtani | Baseball | 2 | 2021, 2023 |
Michael Phelps | Swimming | 2 | 2008, 2012 |
Name | Sport | Awards | Years |
---|---|---|---|
Babe Didrikson | Golf/Track and field | 6 | 1932, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1954 |
Serena Williams | Tennis | 5 | 2002, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2018 |
Chris Evert | Tennis | 4 | 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980 |
Maureen Connolly | Tennis | 3 | 1951, 1952, 1953 |
Annika Sörenstam | Golf | 3 | 2003, 2004, 2005 |
Simone Biles | Gymnastics | 3 | 2016, 2019, 2023 |
Alice Marble | Tennis | 2 | 1939, 1940 |
Althea Gibson | Tennis | 2 | 1957, 1958 |
Wilma Rudolph | Track and field | 2 | 1960, 1961 |
Mickey Wright | Golf | 2 | 1963, 1964 |
Kathy Whitworth | Golf | 2 | 1965, 1966 |
Billie Jean King | Tennis | 2 | 1967, 1973 |
Tracy Austin | Golf | 2 | 1979, 1981 |
Nancy Lopez | Golf | 2 | 1978, 1985 |
Martina Navratilova | Tennis | 2 | 1983, 1986 |
Monica Seles | Tennis | 2 | 1991, 1992 |
Lorena Ochoa | Golf | 2 | 2006, 2007 |
Candace Parker | Basketball | 2 | 2008, 2021 |
Katie Ledecky | Swimming | 2 | 2017, 2022 |
Decade | Male | Female | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Sport | Name | Sport | |
1960s | Arnold Palmer | Golf | None Awarded | |
1970s | Jack Nicklaus | Golf | ||
1980s | Wayne Gretzky | Hockey | ||
1990s | Michael Jordan | Basketball | ||
2000s | Tiger Woods | Golf | ||
2010s | LeBron James | Basketball | Serena Williams | Tennis |
LeBron Raymone James Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport and is often compared to Michael Jordan in debates over the greatest basketball player of all time. He has competed in 10 NBA Finals winning four NBA championships. He also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers, and two Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. men's national team.
Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated has annually presented the Sportsman of the Year award to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement." Both Americans and non-Americans are eligible, though in the past the vast majority of winners have been from the United States. Both men and women have won the award, originally called "Sportsman of the Year" and renamed "Sportswoman of the Year" or "Sportswomen of the Year" when applicable.
Carmelo Kyam Anthony is an American former professional basketball player. Anthony played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was named an NBA All-Star ten times and an All-NBA Team member six times. He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange, winning a national championship as a freshman in 2003 while being named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and is regarded as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
The Honda-Broderick Cup is a sports award for college-level female athletes. The awards are voted on by a national panel of more than 1000 collegiate athletic directors. It was first presented by Tom Broderick, an American owner of a women's sports apparel company, in 1977, with the first award going to Lusia Harris, who played basketball at Delta State University. The Honda Corporation has presented the award since 1987. To be nominated, an athlete must have won the Honda Sports Award for her sport.
Kevin Wayne Durant, also known by his initials KD, is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and was selected as the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2007 NBA draft. He played nine seasons with the franchise, which became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008, before signing with the Golden State Warriors in 2016, winning consecutive NBA championships and NBA Finals MVP Awards in 2017 and 2018. After sustaining an Achilles injury in the 2019 finals, he joined the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent that summer. Following disagreements with the Nets' front office, he requested a trade during the 2022 offseason and was traded to the Suns in 2023. He is regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Maya April Moore is a social justice advocate and an American former professional basketball player. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, Sports Illustrated called Moore the greatest winner in the history of women's basketball.
The Best Female Athlete ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Outstanding Female Athlete ESPY Award, has been presented annually at the ESPY Awards since 1993 to the female voted to be, irrespective of nationality or sport contested, the best athlete in a given calendar year. Between 1993 and 2004, the award voting panel comprised variously of fans; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; and ESPN personalities, but balloting thereafter has been exclusively by fans over the Internet from amongst choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in June and reflect performance from the June previous.
The Best Male Athlete ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Outstanding Male Athlete ESPY Award, is an annual award honoring the achievements of individual men from the world of sports. It has been presented annually at the ESPY Awards since 1993 to the male voted irrespective of nationality or sport contested, adjudged to be the best athlete in a given calendar year. The Best Male Athlete ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, is presented to the recipient at an annual ceremony in Los Angeles. Since 2004, the winner has been chosen by online balloting through three to five choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.
The ESPY Award for Best College Athlete, Men's Sports, known before 2021 as the Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award, is an annual award honoring the achievements of a male individual from the world of collegiate sports. It was first presented as part of the ESPY Awards in 2002, following the subsumption of the Best College Football Player and Best Male College Basketball Player ESPY Awards, each of which had been presented annually between 1993 and 2001, inclusive. The award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, is awarded to the sportsman adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year of those contesting collegiate sport in the United States through the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The ESPY Award for Best College Athlete, Women's Sports, known before 2021 as the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award, is an annual award honoring the achievements of a female individual from the world of collegiate sports. It was first presented as part of the ESPY Awards in 2002, following the subsumption of the Best Female College Basketball Player ESPY Award, which was presented annually between the 1993 and 2001 ceremonies, inclusive. The award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, is awarded to the sportswoman adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year of those contesting collegiate sport in the United States through the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Since the 2004 awards, the winner has been chosen by online voting through three to five nominees selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.
The Best International Athlete ESPY Award is an award given to the sportsperson adjudged to have been the best or most outstanding of those born outside, or not possessing citizenship, of the United States who contest a major international sport in a given calendar year. From 2008 to 2009, the award was split into Best Female International Athlete ESPY Award and Best Male International Athlete ESPY Award. The women's version of the award for 2008 and 2009 were presented to Mexican professional golfer Lorena Ochoa. The award was discontinued after 2009, but was reinstated in 2012.
The Best Female Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award is an annual award honoring the achievements of a female athlete from the world of action sports. It was first awarded as part of the ESPY Awards in 2004 after the non-gender-specific Best Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award was presented the previous two years. It is given to the female, irrespective of nationality or sport contested, adjudged to be the best action sports athlete in a given calendar year. Balloting for the award is undertaken by fans over the Internet from between three and five choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee, which is composed of a panel of experts. It is conferred in July to reflect performance and achievement over the preceding twelve months.
The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls cross country, boys football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls track & field, girls softball, and girls volleyball.
The Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year Award is an award that is given annually since 1998 to NCAA college football's national coach of the year. The award is voted on by the Associated Press (AP) voters that participate in the weekly college football AP Poll. The current award holder is Kalen DeBoer of the Washington for 2023.
Anthony Marshon Davis Jr., nicknamed "AD", is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played for the New Orleans Pelicans. He plays the power forward and center positions. Davis is an eight-time NBA All-Star and has been named to four All-NBA First Teams and four NBA All-Defensive Teams. In his first season with the Lakers, he won the 2020 NBA Finals. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers. Davis is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards of all time.
Breanna Mackenzie Stewart is an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Fenerbahçe of the Women's Basketball Super League, Euroleague Women.
Jabari Ali Parker is an American professional basketball player for FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the second overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, after one season of playing for Duke University. He played four seasons for the Bucks. Then, he played with 5 different teams over the course of 4 more NBA seasons. Parker was a standout high school athlete, helping his team win four straight Illinois state championships for Simeon Career Academy, and was named the National High School Player of the Year by Gatorade and McDonald's. In his freshman year for the 2013–14 Duke Blue Devils, he was named a consensus first-team All-American, the USBWA National Freshman of the Year, and the runner-up for the John R. Wooden Award.
The 2013 ESPY Awards were announced from the Nokia Theatre on the 17th of July 2013, and were live on ESPN. ESPY Award is an abbreviation for Excellence in Sports Performance.
Jalen Marquis Brunson is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted with the 33rd overall selection of the 2018 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks and played his first four seasons in the NBA with them. He played college basketball for Villanova University, where he was the National Player of the Year as a junior and won two national championships.
Caitlin Clark is an American college basketball player for the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten Conference. She attended Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, where she was named a McDonald's All-American in 2020 and was rated the fourth-best player in her class by ESPN.