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Jose Altuve, James Harden, Chloe Kim Among 2018 ESPY Nominees [FULL NOMINATIONS LIST]

The 2018 ESPY nominations were announced on Wednesday, and some of the biggest sports stars of the year will compete for the prizes.

2018 ESPY Awards Nominations List

The Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards are held annually and are considered by many to be the “Oscars” of sports.

Former race car driver Danica Patrick will host this year’s ceremony, which is set to be held July 18 in Los Angeles.

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Some of the top contenders this year include second baseman Jose Altuve of the World Series champion Houston Astros, Houston Rockets guard James Harden and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkinall of whom are nominated for Best Male Athlete.

Best Female Athlete nominees include snowboarder Chloe Kimwho won a gold medal for Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea earlier this year, as well as another Olympic medallist, alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin.

The Best Breakthrough Athlete category includes Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmonsand Sloane Stephensa tennis youngster who won last year’s U.S. Open women’s title.

Cleveland Cavaliers star forward LeBron James earned his 14th straight best NBA player nomination after leading his team to the Finals against the eventual champion Golden State Warriors. James has won the award for the past two years. Milwaukee’s Giannis AntetokounmpoHarden, and New Orleans’ Anthony Davis are also nominated in this category this year.

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Nominated for Best Game are Game 5 of the 2017 World Series, where the Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Georgia Bulldogs’ victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Rose Bowl, and the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team’s championship win over Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Here is the full list of nominees:

Best Male Athlete

Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

James Harden, Houston Rockets

Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Best Female Athlete

Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx

Mikaela Shiffrin, Ski

Chloe Kim, Snowboard

Julie Ertz, Chicago Red Stars/United States Women’s National Soccer Team

Best Olympic Moment

Shaun White, Snowboard

Jessie Diggins & Kikkan Randall, U.S. Cross Country Ski

U.S. Men’s Curling

USA Women’s Hockey defeats Canada, 2018 Winter Olympics

Best Championship PerformanceGeorge Springer, Houston Astros – MLB World Series Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors – NBA Final

Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova Men’s Basketball – CBB National Championship

Best Breakthrough Athlete 

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers  


Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

Sloane Stephens, Tennis

Best Game

Houston Astros defeat Los Angeles Dodgers, World Series Game 5

Georgia Bulldogs defeat Oklahoma Sooners, Rose Bowl

USA Women’s Hockey defeats Canada, 2018 Winter Olympics

Best MomentMinnesota Vikings defeat the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship GameNotre Dame defeats Mississippi State to win the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament

Las Vegas Golden Knights defeat Winnipeg Jets to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals

No. 16 University of Maryland-Baltimore County upsets No. 1 Virginia

Best Team

Houston Astros, MLB

Philadelphia Eagles, NFL

USA Women’s Ice Hockey

Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NCAA Women’s Basketball

Villanova Wildcats, NCAA Men’s Basketball

Golden State Warriors, NBA

Washington Capitals, NHL

Best Coach

Aaron Feis

Scott Beigel

Chris Hixon

Best College Athlete

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Football

Jalen Brunson, Villanova Basketball

Katie Ledecky, Stanford Swimming

A’ja Wilson, South Carolina Basketball

Best Play  (Top 16 into bracket for fan voting)

1. ND’s Arike Ogunbowale hits 2nd buzzer beater to win NCAA women’s national
title 


2. Minnesota Miracle: Stefon Diggs makes last-second TD Catch to send Vikings to NFC championship


3. Philly Special: Eagles fool Patriots with fourth-down TD toss to Foles


4. Alabama wins national title on 41-yard OT TD pass from Tua Tagovailoa to Devonta Smith


5. FSU’s Jessie Warren makes diving double play in WCWS


6. LeBron James nails buzzer beater 3-pointer to beat the Pacers in Game 5 of Round 1

7. Evanston Township High school freshman Blake Peters hits 80-foot buzzer beater


8. Gareth Bale scores go-ahead bicycle kick goal in Champions League Final 
1022

9. Cristiano Ronaldo scores bicycle kick goal against Juventus


10. Julian McGarvey makes last-second steal & heave to secure Ardsley High School’s 1st Section 1 title in 60 years


11. LeBron floats a glass-kissing buzzer beater to beat Raptors in game 3 of round 2


12. Team USA’s Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson scores the shootout winner to secure gold medal in women’s hockey


13. Giannis Antetokounmpo leapfrog dunks on Tim Hardaway Jr


14. Acrobatic volleyball play from Autumn Finney out of Decatur High School

15. Golden Knights’ William Karlsson goes through legs for ‘goal of the year’ contender 


16. Jordan Poole hits buzzer-beater to send Michigan to the Sweet 16s


Best Record-Breaking Performance

Roger Federer, Tennis

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury

Best International Men’s Soccer Player

Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona/Argentina National Team

Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid/Portuguese National Team  


Mohamed Salah, Liverpool/Egyptian National Team

Neymar Jr., PSG/Brazilian National Team

Best NFL Player

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams


Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams

Best MLB Player

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Mike Trout, LA Angels

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

Best NHL Player

Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Marc-Andre Fleury, Las Vegas Golden Knights

Best Male Golfer

Jordan Spieth

Justin Thomas

Dustin Johnson

Patrick Reed

Best Female Golfer

Shanshan Feng

Inbee Park

Ariya Jutanugarn

Sung-Hyun Park

Best Male Olympian

Shaun White, Snowboarding

Red Gerard, Snowboarding

David Wise, Halfpipe Skiing

John Shuster, Curling

Best Female Olympian

Chloe Kim, Snowboarding

Mikaela Shiffrin, Skiing

Jamie Anderson, Snowboarding

Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, US Women’s Hockey

Best Male Tennis Player

Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal

Marin Cilic

Best Female Tennis Player

Sloane Stephens

Caroline Wozniacki

Simona Halep

Garbine Muguruza

Best MLS Player

Nemanja Nikolić, Chicago Fire

Diego Valeri, Portland Timbers

Ike Opara, Sporting Kansas City


Tim Melia, Sporting Kansas City

Best NWSL Player

Sam Kerr, Chicago Red Stars

Megan Rapinoe, Seattle Reign

Sam Mewis

Adrianna Franch, Portland Thorns

 

Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

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