ESPY Awards 2016: Nominees, Presenters, Host, Predictions and More

WWE's John Cena will host Wednesday's 2016 ESPY Awards, a night of celebration honoring the year's top moments, athletes and legends, such as Muhammad Ali.

The show takes advantage of a lull due to the MLB All-Star break to honor a year of historic occasions at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles with a laundry list of nominees and presenters.

Date	Time (ET)	Location	TV
Wednesday, July 13	8 p.m.	Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles	ABC

It's never easy to decipher which teams or athletes will win which awards, as nominee pools for each award are stacked so deep the Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors would blush.

That said, it's always worthwhile to take a stab at predictions when outlining each category.

Award	Nominee	Nominee	Nominee	Nominee	Nominee	Prediction
Best Male Athlete	Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors	Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers	Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals	LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers	N/A	LeBron James
Best Female Athlete	Breanna Stewart, UConn women's basketball	Elena Delle Donne, Chicago Sky	Katie Ledecky, swimming	Simone Biles, gymnastics	N/A	Breanna Stewart
Best Championship Performance	Von Miller, Denver Broncos	Carli Lloyd, U.S. women's national soccer team	Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins	LeBron James, Cavaliers	N/A	LeBron James - NBA Finals
Best Breakthrough Athlete	Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs	Conor McGregor, MMA	Chloe Kim, snowboarding	Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves	N/A	Conor McGregor
Best Record-Breaking Performance	Stephen Curry's 402 3-pointers	Geno Auriemma's 11th national championship w/ UConn women's basketball	Christian McCaffrey's 3,864 All-Purpose Yards	N/A	N/A	Stephen Curry - single-season three-pointers
Best Upset	Holly Holm's KO of Ronda Rousey	No. 15 Middle Tennessee win over No. 2 Michigan St. in NCAA tournament	Roberta Vinci's win over Serena Williams at U.S. Open	N/A	N/A	Holly Holm knocks out Ronda Rousey
Best Game	UNC vs. Villanova in NCAA men's basketball final	Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers, NFC Divisional Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors, NBA Finals	N/A	N/A	Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers, NFC Divisional Playoffs
Best Team	Cleveland Cavaliers	Pittsburgh Penguins	Kansas City Royals	Denver Broncos	Villanova Men's Basketball	Cleveland Cavaliers
Best Team (cont.)	Alabama Football	UConn Women's Basketball	N/A	N/A	N/A	Cleveland Cavaliers
Best Coach/Manager	Ned Yost, Kansas City Royals	Geno Auriemma, UConn women's basketball	Jay Wright, Villanova men's basketball	Nick Saban, Alabama Crimson Tide football	Tyronn Lue, Cleveland Cavaliers	Geno Auriemma
Best MLB Player	Bryce Harper, Nationals	Jake Arrieta, Cubs	Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays	Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels	Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers	Clayton Kershaw
Best NHL Player	Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks	Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals	Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins	Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks	Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals	Sidney Crosby
Best Fighter	Conor McGregor, MMA	Gennady Golovkin, Boxing	Canelo Alvarez, Boxing	Robbie Lawler, MMA	Roman Gonzalez, Boxing	Conor McGregor
Best NFL Player	Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers	Tom Brady, New England Patriots	J.J. Watt, Houston Texans	Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers	Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons	Cam Newton
Best NBA Player	Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors	Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs	LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers	Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder	Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder	LeBron James
Best WNBA Player	Elena Delle Donne, Chicago Sky	Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx	Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream	Tina Charles, New York Liberty	DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix Mercury	Elena Delle Donne
Best Driver	Scott Dixon, IndyCar	Kyle Busch, NASCAR	Lewis Hamilton, Formula One	Erica Enders-Stevens, NHRA	Alexander Rossi, IndyCar	Kyle Busch
Best Jockey	Mario Gutierrez	Kent Desormeaux	Irad Ortiz Jr.	Javier Castellano	N/A	Mario Gutierrez
Best Bowler	Jason Belmonte	Jesper Svensson	Anthony Simonsen	Ryan Ciminelli	N/A	Anthony Simonsen
Best MLS Player	Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC	Kei Kamara, Columbus Crew	Laurent Ciman, Montreal Impact	Luis Robles, New York Red Bulls	N/A	Sebastian Giovinco
Best International Athlete	Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer	Novak Djokovic, tennis	Lydia Ko, women's golf	Luis Suarez, soccer	Canelo Alvarez, boxing	Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Male Golfer	Jason Day	Dustin Johnson	Danny Willett	Jordan Spieth	N/A	Jordan Spieth
Best Female Golfer	Lydia Ko	Inbee Park	Brooke Henderson	Ariya Jutanugarn	N/A	Lydia Ko
Best Male Tennis Player	Novak Djokovic	Andy Murray	Roger Federer	N/A	N/A	Novak Djokovic
Best Female Tennis Player	Angelique Kerber	Flavia Pennetta	Serena Williams	Garbine Muguruza	N/A	Serena Williams
Best Male College Athlete	Derrick Henry, Alabama football	Buddy Hield, Oklahoma basketball	Jordan Morris, Stanford soccer	Jarrion Lawson, Arkansas track and field	Alex Dieringer, Oklahoma State wrestling	Derrick Henry
Best Female College Athlete	Breanna Stewart, UConn basketball	Raquel Rodriguez, Penn State soccer	Samantha Bricio, USC volleyball	Taylor Cummings, Maryland lacrosse	Sierra Romero, Michigan softball	Breanna Stewart
Best Male Athlete with a Disability	Richard Browne, track and field	Joe Berenyi, cycling	Aaron Fotheringham, WCMX	Nikko Landeros, ice hockey	Brad Snyder, swimming	Richard Browne
Best Female Athlete with a Disability	Tatyana McFadden, marathons	Heather Erickson, volleyball	Oksana Masters, cross-country skiing	Shawn Morelli, cycling		Tatyana McFadden
Best Male Action Sports Athlete	Ryan Dungey, motocross	Gus Kenworthy, freestyle skiing	Nyjah Huston, skateboarding	Pedro Barros, skateboarding	Mark McMorris, snowboarding	Mark McMorris
Best Female Action Sports Athlete	Chloe Kim, snowboarding	Keala Kennelly, surfing	Jamie Anderson, snowboarding	Carissa Moore, surfing	N/A	Chloe Kim
Best Play	Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary vs. Cardinals	Kris Jenkins buzzer beater vs. UNC	LeBron James Game 7 block vs. Warriors	Michigan St. blocked punt vs. Michigan	N/A	Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary

ESPN issued a press release with the show's presenters. It's a notable list of names, ranging from Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade (now of the Chicago Bulls, remember) to J.J. Watt and beyond.

Perhaps the most notable presenter, though, is Justin Timberlake. He'll bestow one of the highest honors of the night on Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning and Abby Wambach with the Icon Award.

According to the press release, it's the first time three retiring athletes will receive the honor at the same time. It detailed what the award represents: "These remarkable athletes will all be recognized for the indelible mark they have made on the world of sports. Bryant, Manning and Wambach will all be in attendance to accept the honor."

As always, the Jimmy V Perseverance Award will command the spotlight. This year, the honor will go to TNT NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager, who will receive the award from quite a major name, as the ESPY Awards Twitter account revealed:

The awards with unknown results offer the most intrigue. "Best Male Athlete" isn't hard to figure out. Cam Newton might have received the nod had his Carolina Panthers not crumbled in the Super Bowl, but even then, it's hard to trump LeBron James getting the Cleveland Cavaliers a title. 

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Something like "Best Team," though? Good luck figuring out how to measure up squads able to rise to the mountaintop of their respective sports. Cleveland gets a nod there, but the Pittsburgh Penguins, Denver Broncos and other mainstays such as the Alabama Crimson Tide and UConn Huskies muddy the picture.

Also intriguing is Cena's role as host. The wrestler, actor and Make-A-Wish hero transcends sports no matter how the public views his sport, and he sees the award show as an opportunity to propel something he's dedicated his life to.

Michael Rothman, Ricki Harris and Anthony Castellano of ABC News discussed the opportunity with Cena:

"

I love what I do so much, and I’m not ignorant to how sports entertainment is perceived. So, an opportunity like this from ESPN to kind of captain the ship on the biggest night of sports and entertainment ... it’s vehicles like that that can help change perception, and I don’t look at it like a career goal, I look at it as appreciation for not just myself, for everybody.

"

This is what it's all about—honoring those athletes and sports who transcend their lanes, reaching a global audience and providing inspiration and something to cheer for on a daily basis.

In a way, Wednesday is a farewell to the feats of last year and a hello to the next year of epic performances and life moments beyond simple games.

Wednesday, the sporting world looks back before moving forward.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.