ESPY Awards 2014: Presenters and Stars to Watch at Annual Event

It is often difficult to keep up with award season between the Emmys, Grammys, Academy Awards and others, but it is hard to deny that the most fun event of the group is the ESPY Awards.

Not only will fans get to see who wins prestigious honors like the best male and female athletes, best team, best game and best play, but the relaxed atmosphere of the star-studded event makes it a thrill to watch for everyone.

This year will be no different with Drake hosting and a number of celebrities both inside and out of the sports world. For those looking to watch at home, here is all the information you need to know about the exciting event.

When: Wednesday, July 16

Where: Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles, California

Time: 9 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN

Host: Drake

Award	Nominee
Best Male Athlete	Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos; Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder; Floyd Mayweather, Boxer
Best Female Athlete	Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx; Ronda Rousey, UFC; Mikaela Shiffrin, Olympic Skiing; Breanna Stewart, Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Best Championship Performance	Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion; Kawhi Leonard, NBA Finals MVP; Shabazz Napier, Men’s NCAA Tournament MOP; David Ortiz, World Series MVP
Best Game	Alabama vs. Auburn, Iron Bowl; Kansas City Chiefs vs. Indianapolis Colts, AFC Wild Card Playoff; New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings, Stanley Cup Finals Game 5
Best Team	Boston Red Sox, MLB; Connecticut Women’s Basketball; Florida State Football; Los Angeles Kings, NHL; San Antonio Spurs, NBA; Seattle Seahawks, NFL
Best Coach / Manager	Geno Auriemma, Connecticut Women’s Basketball; Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks; John Farrell, Boston Red Sox; Kevin Ollie, Connecticut Men’s Basketball; Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs

Presenters
Other Notable Athletes
Jessica Alba	Jeff Bridges	Jordana Brewster	Victor Cruz
Cameron Diaz	Taye Diggs	Kevin Durant	Colin Kaepernick
Dan Marino	Floyd Mayweather	Jim Parsons	Danica Patrick
Jason Segel	Maria Sharapova	Kiefer Sutherland	Russell Wilson
Laila Ali	Jozy Altidore	Jamie Anderson	Clint Dempsey
Matt Harvey	Damian Lillard	Henrik Lundqvist	Dominic Moore
Shabazz Napier	T.J. Oshie	Candace Parker	Albert Pujols
Amy Purdy	Richard Sherman	Sloane Stephens	John Wall

The biggest question fans will have is what kind of a host Drake will be on Wednesday night. A few established comedians and performers have done well in the opening monologue while entertaining throughout the night, but it remains to be seen whether a musician with not much comedic background can entertain the crowd.

Drake discussed his plans in a conference call, via Jennifer Cingari of ESPN MediaZone:

"

Well, I think what makes a perfect ESPYS host is obviously somebody that can fill the room with energy and joy for the people that are in the seats.  But I think most importantly what I bring is the fact that I feel that I know the room better than any host before me just because so many of these guys I have personal relationships with.  I think I’m going to be able to tap into some jokes that will be appreciated by my friends in the crowd and also the athletes that I don’t know.

"

The artist's relationship with top athletes has been well-documented over the years. After LeBron James made his decision to join the Cleveland Cavaliers, Drake explained that he would go to plenty of games because the four-time MVP "is a brother" to him.

He has spent plenty of time with rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel:

Recently, he had dinner with Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari:

This wide range of sports personalities should give him plenty of ammo to use during the show. The question is whether he will be willing to embarrass these people he calls friends or if he will spare feelings at the expense of comedy.

Of course, there are plenty of other people set to be in attendance to keep things entertaining. Jessica Alba, Jordana Brewster and Cameron Diaz remain a pleasure to watch do anything, while Jason Segel, Jim Parsons and Jeff Bridges are some of the funniest people alive. Bridges even has a bit of athletic experience in his bowling days as The Dude.

These celebrities will be joined by plenty of sports stars like Kevin Durant, Dan Marino and Floyd Mayweather, all just looking to enjoy themselves. Even Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson should be able to put their rivalry on hold for one night.

This is certain to be a fun event for everyone involved, no matter who wins each award.

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