The 2025 ESPYS are set to take place on Wednesday, July 16. The annual awards show will be hosted by comedian Shane Gillis at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
On a night where the best teams, players, plays and moments in sport are recognized from the past year, there are also moments that are much bigger than sports.
The ESPYS has a history of athletes, celebrities and media personalities using their platform to discuss topics that need changing around the world. There are awards handed out for resiliency outside of sport as well, like the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
The recipients often deliver powerful and inspirational speeches based on their experiences, and the 2025 ESPYS will be no different.
MORE: What is the Arthur Ashe Award? How tennis star inspired most prestigious ESPY
What is the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS?
The Jimmy V Award – also known as the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance – is awarded at the ESPYS to “a deserving member of the sporting world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination.”
The award honors the late Jim Valvano, who was the head coach of the NC State men’s basketball team that pulled off one of the biggest upsets in March Madness history when it defeated Houston in the 1983 National Championship.
Valvano delivered a powerful and famous speech at the 1993 ESPYS after receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for his battle with cancer.
Valvano passed away two months later. Shortly thereafter, ESPN helped create the Jimmy V Foundation, a charitable organization that raises money to fund cancer research grants across the United States.
The Jimmy V Award is presented at the ESPYS by the Jimmy V Foundation, with the first award handed out in 2007.
MORE: Inside Jim Valvano’s speech: The story behind iconic 1993 ESPYs
Jimmy V Award winners
The first-ever Jimmy V Award was given to NC State women’s basketball coach Kay Yow, who led her team to the ACC Championship game and Sweet 16 in the same season after returning from multiple sessions of breast cancer chemotherapy.
The award has been given out every year since 2007.
| Year | Recipient(s) | Notes |
| 2007 | Kay Yow | Coached NC State to ACC Championship, Sweet 16 after returning from sessions of breast cancer therapy. |
| 2008 | Kevin Everett | Former Bills TE who was paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury but began walking again after rehab. |
| 2009 | Don Meyer | Returned as coach of the Northern State Wolves men’s basketball team despite a battle with liver cancer. |
| 2010 | George Karl | Returned to coaching after undergoing radiation treatment for neck and throat cancer. |
| 2011 | Anthony Robles | Born without a right leg and won the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship (125 lbs.) to cap off undefeated season. |
| 2012 | Eric LeGrand | Sustained a spinal cord injury while playing football at Rutgers and defied all odds by being able to stand up with the aid of a metal frame and breathe without the assistance of a ventilator. |
| 2013 | Team Hoyt | Dick Hoyt pushed his son, Rick, who was born with cerebral palsy, in a running wheelchair for multiple long-distance running events. |
| 2014 | Stuart Scott | ESPN reporter continued to work while going through surgeries and chemotherapy for cancer. |
| 2015 | Devon and Leah Still | Five-year-old Leah Still was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma. Her father, Devon, made the Bengals practice squad to help pay for her treatment. |
| 2016 | Craig Sager | TNT reporter continued to work despite being diagnosed with leukemia. |
| 2017 | Jarrius Robertson | Saints superfan, born with biliary atresia, had undergone two liver transplants and 13 surgeries by 15 years old. |
| 2018 | Jim Kelly | Former Bills QB survived three occurrences of oral cancer within five years. |
| 2019 | Rob Mendez | Born without arms or legs, Mendez has been a JV HS football head coach for three seasons. |
| 2020 | Taquarius Wair | Despite burning his body and losing four fingers in a house fire at the age of four, went on to play college football as a RB. |
| 2021 | Chris Nikic | The first person with down syndrome to complete an Ironman Triathlon |
| 2022 | Dick Vitale | College basketball analyst who was diagnosed with melanoma in August 2021 and lymphoma in October 2021. Was declared cancer-free in April 2022. |
| 2023 | Liam Hendricks |
White Sox closer who was diagnosed with stage four Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2022. Returned to play for the team after being declared cancer-free in April 2023. |
| 2024 | Dawn Staley | South Carolina women’s basketball head coach who advocates against cancer and for equality in women’s sports. |
MORE: What does ESPY stand for? Explaining the meaning behind ESPN’s awards
When is the 2025 ESPY Awards show?
- Date: Wednesday, July 16
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Where: The Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles
The ESPYS will be held at The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 16. The show is expected to run from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
MORE: What happened to Steve Gleason? The story of Saints’ blocked punt and ALS diagnosis
How to watch the 2025 ESPY Awards show
- Channel: ABC
- Live stream: ESPN app | FuboTV
The ESPYS will be televised at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. You can live stream the ESPYS on the ESPN app or with FuboTV, which offers a free trial.
MORE: ESPY Award history: Previous winners for Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, more
