ESPY Award history: Full list of previous ESPYS winners for Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Team and more

Jordan Greer

ESPY Award history: Full list of previous ESPYS winners for Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Team and more image

It's time to recognize the greatest athletes and teams in sports. Yes, the ESPY Awards are back.

This year's ESPYS will be hosted by Serena Williams, who won 23 Grand Slams in her career. But the tennis legend will be far from the only big name in attendance at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Thursday night's festivities will also feature presenters such as Paige Bueckers, Draymond Green, Lindsey Vonn, Flau'jae Johnson, Damar Hamlin and Candace Parker. Several other athletes and celebrities are expected to attend the event as well.

Before Williams kicks off this year's ESPYS show, here's a look back at the previous winners of some of the biggest awards.

ESPY Award history: Full list of previous ESPYS winners

(Note: Traditional ESPY Awards were not handed out amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 show focused on humanitarian efforts rather than athletic achievements.)

Best Male Athlete

YearAward winner
1993Michael Jordan
1994Barry Bonds
1995Steve Young
1996Cal Ripken
1997Michael Johnson
1998Ken Griffey Jr. and Tiger Woods
1999Mark McGwire
2000Tiger Woods
2001Tiger Woods
2002Tiger Woods
2003Lance Armstrong
2004Lance Armstrong
2005Lance Armstrong
2006Lance Armstrong
2007LaDainian Tomlinson
2008Tiger Woods
2009Michael Phelps
2010Drew Brees
2011Dirk Nowitzki
2012LeBron James
2013LeBron James
2014Kevin Durant
2015Stephen Curry
2016LeBron James
2017Russell Westbrook
2018Alex Ovechkin
2019Giannis Antetokounmpo
2020
2021Tom Brady
2022Shohei Ohtani
2023Patrick Mahomes

Best Female Athlete

YearAward winner
1993Monica Seles
1994Julie Krone
1995Bonnie Blair
1996Rebecca Lobo
1997Amy Van Dyken
1998Mia Hamm
1999Chamique Holdsclaw
2000Mia Hamm
2001Marion Jones
2002Venus Williams
2003Serena Williams
2004Diana Taurasi
2005Annika Sorenstam
2006Annika Sorenstam
2007Taryne Mowatt
2008Candace Parker
2009Nastia Liukin
2010Lindsey Vonn
2011Lindsey Vonn
2012Brittney Griner
2013Serena Williams
2014Ronda Rousey
2015Ronda Rousey
2016Breanna Stewart
2017Simone Biles
2018Chloe Kim
2019Alex Morgan
2020
2021Naomi Osaka
2022Katie Ledecky
2023Mikaela Shiffrin

Best Breakthrough Athlete

YearAward winner
1993Gary Sheffield
1994Mike Piazza
1995Jeff Bagwell
1996Hideo Nomo
1997Tiger Woods
1998Nomar Garciaparra
1999Randy Moss
2000Kurt Warner
2001Daunte Culpepper
2002Tom Brady
2003Alfonso Soriano
2004LeBron James
2005Dwyane Wade
2006Chris Paul
2007Devin Hester
2008Adrian Peterson
2009Matt Ryan
2010Chris Johnson
2011Blake Griffin
2012Jeremy Lin
2013Colin Kaepernick
2014Richard Sherman
2015Mo'ne Davis
2016Jake Arrieta
2017Dak Prescott
2018Donovan Mitchell
2019Saquon Barkley
2020
2021LaMelo Ball
2022Eileen Gu
2023Angel Reese

Best Comeback Athlete

YearAward winner
1993Dave Winfield
1994Mario Lemieux
1995Dan Marino
1996Michael Jordan
1997Evander Holyfield
1998Roger Clemens
1999Eric Davis
2000Lance Armstrong
2001Andres Galarraga
2002Jennifer Capriati
2003Tommy Maddox
2004Bethany Hamilton
2005Mark Fields
2006Tedy Bruschi
2007
2008Josh Hamilton
2009Dara Torres
2010Kim Clijsters
2011Mark Herzlich
2012Matthew Stafford
2013Adrian Peterson
2014Russell Westbrook
2015Rob Gronkowski
2016Eric Berry
2017Jordy Nelson
2018
2019St. Louis Blues
2020
2021
2022Klay Thompson
2023Jamal Murray

Best Coach/Manager

YearAward winner
1993Jimmy Johnson
1994Jimmy Johnson
1995George Seifert
1996Gary Barnett
1997Joe Torre
1998Jim Leyland
1999Joe Torre
2000Joe Torre
2001Joe Torre
2002Phil Jackson
2003Jon Gruden
2004Larry Brown
2005Bill Belichick
2006Bill Cowher
2007Tony Dungy
2008Pat Summitt
2009Phil Jackson
2010Phil Jackson
2011Rick Carlisle
2012Tom Coughlin
2013Rick Pitino
2014Gregg Popovich
2015Steve Kerr
2016Tyronn Lue
2017Bob Hurley
2018Aaron Feis, Scott Beigel, Chris Hixon
2019Jim Calhoun
2020
2021Tara VanDerveer
2022
2023

Best Team

YearAward winner
1993Dallas Cowboys
1994Toronto Blue Jays
1995New York Rangers
1996UConn Women's Basketball
1997New York Yankees
1998Denver Broncos
1999New York Yankees
2000U.S. Women's Soccer
2001New York Yankees
2002Los Angeles Lakers
2003Anaheim Angels
2004Detroit Pistons
2005Boston Red Sox
2006Pittsburgh Steelers
2007Indianapolis Colts
2008Boston Celtics
2009Los Angeles Lakers
2010New Orleans Saints
2011Dallas Mavericks
2012Miami Heat
2013Miami Heat
2014Seattle Seahawks
2015U.S. Women's Soccer
2016Cleveland Cavaliers
2017Golden State Warriors
2018Houston Astros
2019U.S. Women's Soccer
2020
2021Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2022Golden State Warriors
2023Kansas City Chiefs

Arthur Ashe Courage Award

YearAward winner
1993Jim Valvano
1994Steve Palermo
1995Howard Cosell
1996Loretta Claiborne
1997Muhammad Ali
1998Dean Smith
1999Billie Jean King
2000Dave Sanders
2001Cathy Freeman
2002Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick
2003Pat and Kevin Tillman
2004George Weah
2005Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and Kim MacClaren
2006Afghan female soccer players
2007Trevor Ringland and Dave Cullen
2008John Carlos and Tommie Smith
2009Nelson Mandela
2010Ed Thomas
2011Dewey Bozella
2012Pat Summitt
2013Robin Roberts
2014Michael Sam
2015Caitlyn Jenner
2016Zaevion Dobson
2017Eunice Kennedy Shriver
2018Survivors of USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal
2019Bill Russell
2020Kevin Love
2021Maya Moore
2022Vitali Klitschko
2023United States women's national soccer team
2024Steve Gleason

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer Photo

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.