ESPYs 2017: Predicting Winners for Top Award Categories

There are a few events in sports that undeniably signal that the dog days of summer are here, including, but not limited to, Wimbledon, the All-Star break and the ESPY Awards. 

This year, the 25th annual ESPY Awards will take place on Wednesday, July 12, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

The awards ceremony, which will be hosted by Peyton Manning, will be broadcast on ABC at 8 p.m. ET and available to watch via live stream on WatchESPN. 

There have been plenty of wild moments in sports over the last 12 months, from the Chicago Cubs winning their first World Series championship since 1908 to the New England Patriots coming back from the biggest deficit in Super Bowl history—21-3—to win it all. 

You can see—and vote for—the nominees in every category at ESPN.com, but we'll break down the contenders in the top categories and make some predictions. 

Best Male Athlete

Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs 

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins 

Michael Phelps, U.S. Olympics swimmer

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder 

Lee Jin-man/Associated Press

Every summer, the question of whether an individual male athlete or a member of a team sport deserves to take home the ESPY...and the individual in question is often Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who has won 28 career medals. 

Phelps last won the ESPY for Best Male Athlete in 2009. He is the only nominee in this category to have won before, but because the ESPY Awards are so heavily determined by fans, powerhouse athletes such as the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, the Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook and the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant will also have large swaths of the country pulling for them. 

As Daniel Montgomery of Gold Derby points out, however, a hockey player has never won the award, so Crosby could be out. 

Phelps seems to hold the edge here, given how decorated his career is overall. 

Prediction: Michael Phelps

Best Female Athlete

Simone Biles, U.S. Olympics gymnast

Katie Ledecky, U.S. Olympics swimmer

Candace Parker, WNBA 

Serena Williams, Tennis

Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press

With all due respect to Katie Ledecky and Candace Parker, this category is between gymnast Simone Biles and tennis powerhouse Serena Williams. 

Biles is coming off an incredible performance in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, having won four gold medals and one bronze. 

Williams, however, has already taken home this award twice before and won Wimbledon in 2016 and the Australian Open in 2017. 

No one can touch Williams' status in tennis, but Biles was the golden girl throughout her performance at the Olympics. She was close to perfect, save for an error on the balance beam finals. That will stick in fans' minds as they vote. 

Prediction: Simone Biles 

Best Team

Chicago Cubs

Clemson Tigers

Golden State Warriors

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Penguins

South Carolina Lady Gamecocks

U.S. Women’s Gymnastics

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The New England Patriots overcame the largest deficit in Super Bowl history. 

The 2016-17 Golden State Warriors went 16-1 in the postseason and own the best win percentage in NBA playoffs history. 

But the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series title in 108 years. 

There are two schools of thought when it comes to this question.

The ESPY Award, after all, is for the best team in 2016, not ever. Therefore, while the Patriots and the Warriors may be modern dynasties, did the Cubs' win mean more to their team—and that fan base, which, crucially, will be voting for the award—than New England's and Golden State's wins, following on the heels of more recent success?

Golden State may have boasted the best team in NBA history in 2016-17. But emotion drives fans to vote. And have you talked to a Cubs fan since November 2?

Prediction: Chicago Cubs

Best Game

Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians (World Series)

Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal (Australian Open Tennis)

New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons (Super Bowl)

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

While the Cubs may win out as the best team of the last year, when it comes to the best game, it's hard to imagine them beating out the Patriots' drumming of the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. 

Baseball teams are always at a disadvantage when it comes to the Best Game award. Yes, Game 7 between the Cubs and the Cleveland Indians was an incredible sporting event. 

But did you see Super Bowl LI?

What the Patriots did to the Falcons had no business happening. It was, quite literally, the craziest thing that has ever happened in the NFL postseason. 

And since football reigns supreme, it will likely earn fans' votes. 

Prediction: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons (Super Bowl)