People were still shaking umbrellas outside Lincoln Center when the 2026 ESPYs got underway Wednesday(7/16/26) night in Manhattan. A stretch of rain delayed some of the activity before the show, leaving guests waiting around before making their way into the David H. Koch Theater. The annual awards ceremony returned to New York this year with comedian Marcello Hernández serving as host.
Inside, the evening felt less like one long awards presentation and more like a mix of sports, concerts and reunion moments. During breaks, athletes wandered around the room, caught up with old teammates and stopped for photos. At one point, New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges sat in his seat scrolling through his phone while others nearby talked with fans and guests.
The first big surprise came early. The Savannah Bananas opened the broadcast with a choreographed performance alongside DJ Khaled, setting a different tone than many expected from an awards show. Later, Ghostface Killah and De La Soul took the stage. Ghostface’s performance started as people were still finding their seats, which made for an awkward few minutes before parts of the crowd joined in.
Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu drew one of the night’s loudest reactions after hearing her name announced for Best Breakthrough Athlete. The 20-year-old added another honor to a year that already included two Olympic gold medals. A few rows away, Stephen Curry later accepted the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award and spoke about the work he and his wife, Ayesha, continue to do through their foundation.
There was plenty of attention on New York’s hometown team. The Knicks entered the night coming off their first NBA title in more than five decades, and they didn’t leave empty-handed. The franchise earned Best Team honors, while Jalen Brunson picked up three separate awards over the course of the ceremony.
Brunson was recognized as Best NBA Player, Best Championship Performance and Best Athlete in Men’s Sports. His teammate OG Anunoby was also called to the stage after winning Best Play for a late basket during the NBA Finals. By the middle of the evening, it seemed like every few minutes another member of the Knicks was standing up for applause.
Other winners included A’ja Wilson, who collected awards in two categories, and Myles Garrett, who was honored following his record-setting NFL season.
The ceremony also paused several times to recognize people whose impact reached beyond competition. Jason Collins was remembered with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, while Jim Abbott received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. Scott Ruskan, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service after helping rescue campers during flooding in Texas.
As the program moved toward its final awards, conversations started up again around the theater, and guests slowly drifted back into the aisles between commercial breaks.
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