ESPY Awards 2017: Nominees, Presenters, Host, Predictions and More

Those in charge of the 2017 ESPY Awards aren't pulling any punches for the event's 25th anniversary.

NFL legend Peyton Manning will play host duties at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, with the event broadcasted on ABC and streamed online at WatchESPN.

Manning alone makes the event must-see material, though the awards, special lifetime honors and a laundry list of global names acting as presenters push this year's offering over the top.

"It's an honor to be asked to host the ESPYs, and it's even more meaningful that it's the 25th year for this incredible event," Manning said, according to ESPN.com. "The ESPYs have been a part of my life during my entire career. I can still remember attending my very first show back in 1998 before my rookie season in the NFL."

Here's a look at some of the most notable awards and nominees of the night, with the full list available at ESPNMediaZone.com:

Best Male Athlete

Kris Bryant, MLB
Sidney Crosby, Stanley Cup Finals
Michael Phelps, Swimming
Russell Westbrook, NBA

Best Female Athlete

Simone Biles, Gymnastics
Katie Ledecky, Swimming
Candace Parker, WNBA
Serena Williams, Tennis

Best Championship Performance

Tom Brady, Super Bowl
Kevin Durant, NBA Finals
Shay Knighten, WCWS
Deshaun Watson, CFB National Championship

Best Breakthrough Athlete

Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA
Laurie Hernandez, Gymnastics
Aaron Judge, MLB
Dak Prescott, NFL
Christian Pulisic, Soccer

Best Record-Breaking Performance

Bill Belichick most Super Bowl wins by a head coach
Michael Phelps extends his own record of most gold medals/most Olympic medals
Diana Taurasi breaks WNBA career scoring record
Russell Westbrook most triple doubles in a season

Best Upset

Clemson defeats Alabama, CFB National Championship
Denis Istomin over Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 
Mississippi State defeats Connecticut, Women's NCAA Basketball Final Four

Best Game

Cubs vs. Indians, World Series Game 7
Patriots vs. Falcons, Super Bowl
Federer vs. Nadal, Australian Open Final

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

As with Manning as host, the showrunners aren't holding back when it comes to presenters either. According to ESPN.com's Jennifer Cingari Christie, massive names ranging from sporting stars such as Danica Patrick to Hollywood stars such as Samuel L. Jackson and Bryan Cranston will waltz to the podium and dole out awards.

Presenters for the lifetime awards promise historic performances as well. Former first lady Michelle Obama will honor Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver:

Elsewhere, Jon Stewart will present the Pat Tillman Award for Service to U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. and Invictus Games gold medalist Israel Del Toro.

A year removed from honoring TNT NBA reporter Craig Sager, the Jimmy V Perseverance Award returns and will honor Jarrius Robertson, a 15-year-old New Orleans Saints fan who has battled liver disease while becoming a fixture around the team.

The V Foundation chronicled his story:

Those looking to make accurate predictions on some of the show's biggest awards don't have to work hard this year.

It's all about the Olympics and history.

For the Best Male Athlete award, the honor has to go to Michael Phelps given his stockpiling even more gold medals. It's a similar story for Best Female Athlete, where a sprint between gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky will overshadow names such as Serena Williams, with Biles likely getting the nod—this time, at least.

The Best Team award isn't exactly hard to predict either. The Clemson Tigers, Golden State Warriors and New England Patriots all looked good capturing titles, yet none can match the magic of the Chicago Cubs ending a 108-year drought.

As always, fans can cast their votes to help decide who emerges as the winner of each award. The blend of fan involvement while honoring every notable accomplishment of the past year is what makes the ESPY Awards the juggernaut of the sporting realm.

With Manning and other great presenters at the helm, the 25th anniversary will be the perfect way to start the march to 50.

Info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.