ESPY Nominations: Lionel Messi, LeBron James & Iga Świątek Among First-Timers In Key Categories

Who was the best athlete in the various sports during the past year? What was the best play and top record-breaking performance? Who made the biggest breakthrough? ESPN today revealed the nominees for its 2023 ESPYs, which will name winners in those categories and more.

The hardware will be handed out July 12 in Los Angeles, with ABC airing the ceremony live at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. See the full list of nominees below.

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Global soccer superstar Lionel Messi, who is taking his talents to South Beach to play for the MLS’ Inter Miami CF next month, is up for Best Athlete, Men’s Sports for the first time, as is MLB slugger Aaron Judge. Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin has a third nom for Best Athlete, Women’s Sports, vying against three first-timers: the WNBA’s A’ja Wilson, the NWSL’s Sophia Smith and tennis ace Iga Świątek.

Recipients of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance and The Pat Tillman Award for Service will be revealed next week. Meanwhile, here are all the nominees for the 2023 ESPYs:

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Lionel Messi, Argentina

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Mikaela Shiffrin, Ski
Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
Iga Świątek, Tennis
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Angel Reese, LSU Women’s Basketball
Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd Grand Slam title
LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record
Mikaela Shiffrin breaks the record for the most World Cup victories
Max Verstappen, Red Bull, set record for most wins in a season

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Leon Edwards, UFC – defeats Kamaru Usman to win UFC welterweight title
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets – 2023 NBA Finals MVP
Lionel Messi, Argentina – 2022 World Cup Final
Rose Zhang, LPGA – first woman in 72 years to win her first professional start.

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
Jon Jones, UFC
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut
Justin Verlander

BEST PLAY
Michael Block’s hole in one – Golf
Justin Jefferson with the Catch of the Century, NFL
Ally Lemos with the perfect corner to tie the National Championship game, NCAA
Trinity Thomas’ Perfect 10 to tie NCAA Record, NCAA

BEST TEAM
Denver Nuggets, NBA
Georgia Bulldogs, NCAA Football
Kansas City Chiefs, NFL
Las Vegas Aces, WNBA
Louisiana State Tigers, NCAA Women’s Basketball
Oklahoma Sooners, NCAA Softball
Vegas Golden Knights, NHL

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Zach Edey, Purdue Basketball
Duncan McGuire, Creighton Soccer
Brennan O’Neill, Duke Lacrosse
Caleb Williams, USC Football

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Jordy Bahl, Oklahoma Softball
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Izzy Scane, Northwestern Lacrosse
Trinity Thomas, Florida Gators Gymnastics

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Erica McKee, Sled Hockey Team
Zach Miller, Snowboarding
Aaron Pike, Wheelchair Racing & Cross-Country Skiing
Susannah Scaroni, Wheelchair Racing

BEST NFL PLAYER
Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

BEST MLB PLAYER
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

BEST NHL PLAYER
Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
David Pastrňák, Boston Bruins
Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins

BEST NBA PLAYER
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

BEST WNBA PLAYER
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix Mercury
Candace Parker, Chicago Sky (Current Las Vegas Aces)
Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Current New York Liberty)
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST DRIVER
Brittany Force, NHRA
Kyle Larson, NASCAR
Josef Newgarden, IndyCar
Max Verstappen, F1

BEST UFC FIGHTER
Leon Edwards
Jon Jones
Islam Makhachev
Amanda Nunes

BEST BOXER
Gervonta Davis
Devin Haney
Claressa Shields
Shakur Stevenson

BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Aitana Bonmatí, Spain/Barcelona
Erling Haaland, Norway/Manchester City
Lionel Messi, Argentina/PSG
Sophia Smith, USWNT/Portland Thorns

BEST GOLFER
Wyndham Clark
Nelly Korda
Jon Rahm
Scottie Scheffler

BEST TENNIS PLAYER
Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic
Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Świątek

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