ESPY Awards 2013: Nominees, Presenters, Predictions and More

The sports world slows down in July, but ESPN fills the void in fans’ lives with the company’s annual ESPY Awards ceremony and presentations. The 2013 edition promises to be one of the best to date.

With a legitimate actor and sports fan, Jon Hamm, taking the duty of hosting the event, this year’s award ceremony should be the most prestigious to date and something even the most casual sports fans won’t want to miss.

As the event approaches, here is all the need-to-know information for the 2013 ESPY Awards.

All event and category information via ESPN MediaZone.

When: Wednesday, July 17, at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, Calif.

Watch: ESPN

Host: Jon Hamm

Where to Vote: ESPYs 2013

Notable Presenters

While the full list of presenters is not available yet, ESPN has announced that actor Ben Affleck would be presenting the 2013 Jimmy V Perseverance Award to Boston Marathoner, Rick Hoyt, and his father, Dick Hoyt.

LeBron James is up for several awards, but his most important duty of the night is the presentation of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Robin Roberts. The Good Morning America co-host and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame star has battled cancer in the public’s eye over the last year, and her bravery will be rewarded.

2013 ESPY Awards List

Best Male Athlete

Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming

Best Female Athlete

Gabby Douglas, Olympic Gymnastics

Missy Franklin, Olympic Swimming

Brittney Griner, NCAA Baylor Women's Basketball

Serena Williams, Women's Tennis

Best Comeback

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees

Best Breakthrough Athletes

Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers

Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M Football

Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Best Championship Performance

Joe Flacco, Super Bowl MVP

LeBron James, NBA Finals MVP

Brad Keselowski, NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion

Pablo Sandoval, World Series MVP

Best Game

Bruins vs. Leafs, First round, Game 7

Heat vs. Spurs, NBA Finals Game 6

Ravens vs. Broncos, AFC divisional playoff

Best Upset

Florida Gulf Coast over Georgetown, Men's NCAA Basketball

Louisville women over Baylor, Women's NCAA Basketball

Marquez over Pacquiao, Boxing

Texas A&M over Alabama, College football

Best Record-Breaking Performance

Drew Brees, Breaks Johnny Unitas' TD record

Calvin Johnson, Breaks Jerry Rice's season yardage record

Michael Phelps, Most decorated Olympian

Abby Wambach, Sets international scoring record

Best Moment

Jack Hoffman, TD run in Nebraska spring game

Alex Morgan, Winning goal vs. Canada in Olympic semifinal

Andy Murray, Winning at Wimbledon, gold medal in Olympics

Chuck Pagano, Returning to Colts

Best NFL Player

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

JJ Watt. Houston Texans

Best NBA Player

Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

LeBron James, Miami Heat

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

Best MLB Player

Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

RA Dickey, New York Mets/Toronto Blue Jays

Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

Best NHL Player

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning

John Tavares, New York Islanders

Best Driver

Ryan Hunter-Reay, IndyCar

Tony Kanaan, IndyCar

Brad Keselowski, NASCAR

Sebastian Vettel, Formula One

Best Coach/Manager

Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts/Arizona Cardinals

Geno Auriemma, UConn women's basketball

John Danowski, Duke lacrosse

Rick Pitino, Louisville men's basketball

Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat

Best Fighter

Canelo Alvarez, Boxing

Danny Garcia, Boxing

Jon "Bones" Jones, MMA

Floyd Mayweather Jr., Boxing

Anderson Silva, MMA

Best Bowler

Jason Belmonte

Scott Norton

Pete Weber

Best Jockey

Javier Castellano

Ramon Dominguez

Joel Rosario

John Velasquez

Best MLS Player

Thierry Henry, New York Red Bulls

Chris Wondolowski, San Jose Earthquakes

Graham Zusi, Sporting Kansas City

Best Male US Olympian

Ashton Eaton, Athletics

Ryan Lochte, Swimming

Michael Phelps, Swimming

Best Female US Olympian

Gabby Douglas, Gymnastics

Missy Franklin, Swimming

Aly Raisman, Gymnastics

Best International Athlete

Usain Bolt, Sprinter

Novak Djokovic, Tennis

Juan Manuel Marquez, Boxing

Lionel Messi, Soccer

Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccer

Best WNBA Player

Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever

Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun

Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream

Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks

Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota Lynx

Best Male Golfer

Rory McIlroy

Justin Rose

Adam Scott

Brandt Snedeker

Tiger Woods

Best Female Golfer

Na Yeon Choi

Stacy Lewis

Inbee Park

Jiyai Shin

Best Male Tennis Player

Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer

Andy Murray

Rafael Nadal

Best Female Tennis Player

Victoria Azarenka

Maria Sharapova

Serena Williams

Best Male College Athlete

Trey Burke, Michigan Basketball

Kyle Dake, Cornell Wrestling

Drew LeBlanc, St. Cloud State University Hockey

Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M Football

Best Female College Athlete

Kara Cannizzaro, UNC Lacrosse

Crystal Dunn, UNC Soccer

Brittney Griner, Baylor Women's Basketball

Keilani Ricketts, Oklahoma Softball

Best Male Athlete with a Disability

Jeremy Campbell, Athletics

Jeff Fabry, Archery

Raymond Martin, Athletics

Tyler Walker, Skiing

Best Female Athlete with a Disability

Victoria Arlen, Swimming

Muffy Davis, Paracycling

Jessica Long, Swimming

Tatyana McFadden, Athletics

Shirley Reilly, Athletics

Best Male Action Sports Athlete

Pedro Barros, Skateboarding

Nyjah Huston, Skateboarding

Mark McMorris, Snowboarding

Ryan Villopoto, Motocross

Best Female Action Sports Athlete

Leticia Bufoni, Skateboarding

Kelly Clark, Snowboarding

Stephanie Gilmore, Surfing

Laia Sanz, Motocross

Best Play (Best Play Playoffs Voting Online)

Jadeveon Clowney's Hit vs David Wetherill's Paralympic Shot

Ray Rice's 4th-and-29 vs Rotnei Clark's Buzzer Beater

DeAndre Jordan's Alley-Oop vs Ben Revere's Diving Catch

Shawn Matthias' Hustle Goal vs Michael Phelps' 153-Foot Putt

Angelo Campos' Double Save vs Jason Repko's HR-Robbing Catch

Ray Allen's three-Pointer vs 11 Taylor Martinez's TD Run

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Goal vs Fabiana Oliveira's Kick Save

Khalil Edney's Buzzer Beater vs Rebecca Barry's Incredible Goal

Predicting the Most Intriguing Categories

Best Male Athlete

The Best Male Athlete category has incredibly strong candidates this year, but there is little doubt that 2013 NBA champion LeBron James deserves to win this award. While stars like Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers), Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings) and Michael Phelps (Olympic Swimming) deserved the nomination, no player has earned the honor more than the defending champion.

Prediction: LeBron James, Miami Heat

Best Female Athlete

The Best Female Athlete of the year will be an intense battle between the candidates, but it will be tennis sensation Serena Williams who just beats college and WNBA superstar Brittney Griner for the categorical victory. Both Olympians Gabby Douglas (Gymnastics) and Missy Franklin (swimming) deserved to be nominated, but this is a two-horse race.

Prediction: Serena Williams, Tennis

Best Championship Performance

Of all the categories during this event, there is none more anticipated than the ESPY for Best Championship Performance. With a stacked field of candidates—Joe Flacco (Super Bowl MVP), LeBron James (NBA Finals MVP), Brad Keselowski (NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion) and Pablo Sandoval (World Series MVP)—this is a vote that could result in anyone winning. The battle will come down to the NFL vs. NBA, and James will take another ESPY.

Prediction: LeBron James, NBA Finals MVP

Best Breakthrough Athlete

The most interesting category of the night will be the Best Breakthrough Athlete. With huge names like Colin Kaepernick, Johnny Manziel, Yasiel Puig, Mike Trout and Russell Wilson up for the award, this will be the toughest category to predict. The power of the NFL will make this a battle between Kaepernick and Wilson, but it will be the San Francisco 49ers quarterback who walks way with the ESPY.

Prediction: Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers

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