The Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year ESPY Award, is an annual award honoring the achievements of an individual in the world of sports. It was first awarded as part of the ESPY Awards in 1993. The Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award trophy, created by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, is awarded to the sportsperson adjudged to have made the greatest breakthrough in a major international individual sport or North American professional team sport. The award is typically given to a sportsperson in their rookie season at a given level but may be won by any athlete whose performance dramatically or otherwise becomes well-recognized. Since 2004, the winner has been chosen by online voting through choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. Before that, determination of the winners was made by an panel of experts. Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in July and reflect performance from the June previous.
The inaugural winner of the Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award in 1993 was San Diego Padres outfielder Gary Sheffield. The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo of Japan received the trophy in 1996, and is one of two sports persons born outside of the United States to have received the award, the other being Dominican Republican left fielder and second baseman Alfonso Soriano of the New York Yankees in 2003. Additionally, 2022 winner Eileen Gu was born in America, but competed for China. Gu is one of two women to win the award, the other being Mo'ne Davis of the Little League Baseball team Anderson Monarchs in 2015. American football players have been most successful at the awards with eleven victories and thirteen nominations, followed by baseball players with eight wins and ten nominations. No athlete has ever won the accolade more than once. The award was not awarded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Winners and nominees + Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award winners and nomineesYear Image Athlete Nationality Team Competition Sport Nominees 1993 San Diego Padres Major League Baseball Baseball Fred Couples () – GolfJim Courier () – TennisBarry Foster () – Pittsburgh Steelers 1994 Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball Baseball 1995 Houston Astros Major League Baseball Baseball Ernie Els () – GolfTommy Moe () – Skiing 1996 Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball Baseball Jeff Blake () –Cincinnati BengalsMartin Brodeur () – New Jersey Devils 1997 PGA Tour Golf Mariano Rivera () – New York YankeesAlex Rodriguez () – Seattle Mariners 1998 Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball Baseball 1999 Minnesota Vikings National Football League American football 2000 St. Louis Rams National Football League American football Sergio García () – GolfSerena Williams () – Tennis 2001 Minnesota Vikings National Football League American football Rulon Gardner () – WrestlingJosh Heupel () – Oklahoma SoonersMarat Safin () – Tennis 2002 New England Patriots National Football League American football Kevin Harvick () – NASCARSarah Hughes () – Figure skatingIchiro Suzuki () – Seattle Mariners 2003 New York Yankees Major League Baseball Baseball LeBron James () – Cleveland Cavaliers Jimmie Johnson () – NASCARYao Ming () – Houston RocketsClinton Portis () – Denver Broncos 2004 Cleveland Cavaliers National Basketball Association Basketball Freddy Adu () – SoccerCarmelo Anthony () – Denver NuggetsJake Delhomme () – Carolina PanthersMichelle Wie () – Golf 2005 Miami Heat National Basketball Association Basketball Danica Patrick () – IndyCar SeriesBen Roethlisberger () – Pittsburgh SteelersMaria Sharapova () – Tennis 2006 New Orleans Hornets National Basketball Association Basketball Kimmie Meissner () – Figure skatingAlexander Ovechkin () – Washington CapitalsShaun White () – Snowboarding 2007 Chicago Bears National Football League American football Kevin Durant () – Texas LonghornsRyan Howard () – Philadelphia PhilliesMorgan Pressel () – Golf 2008 Minnesota Vikings National Football League American football Kyle Busch () – NASCARStephen Curry () – Davidson WildcatsAna Ivanovic () – Tennis 2009 Atlanta Falcons National Football League American football Shawn Johnson () – GymnasticsEvan Longoria () – Tampa Bay RaysDerrick Rose () – Chicago Bulls 2010 Tennessee Titans National Football League American football Brittney Griner () – Baylor BearsStephen Strasburg () – Washington NationalsJohn Wall () – Kentucky Wildcats 2011 Los Angeles Clippers National Basketball Association Basketball José Bautista () – Toronto Blue JaysArian Foster () – Houston TexansLi Na () – TennisCam Newton () – Auburn Tigers 2012 New York Knicks National Basketball Association Basketball Anthony Davis () – Kentucky WildcatsRobert Griffin III () – Baylor BearsRob Gronkowski () – New England PatriotsAlex Morgan () – Soccer 2013 San Francisco 49ers National Football League American football Johnny Manziel () – Texas A&M AggiesYasiel Puig () – Los Angeles DodgersMike Trout () – Los Angeles AngelsRussell Wilson () – Seattle Seahawks 2014 Seattle Seahawks National Football League American football Nick Foles () – Philadelphia EaglesDamian Lillard () – Portland Trail BlazersMasahiro Tanaka () – New York Yankees 2015 Anderson Monarchs Little League Baseball Baseball Odell Beckham Jr. () – New York GiantsCardale Jones () – Ohio State BuckeyesJordan Spieth () – Golf 2016 Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball Baseball Karl-Anthony Towns () – Minnesota TimberwolvesChloe Kim () – SnowboardingConor McGregor () – MMA 2017 Dallas Cowboys National Football League American football Giannis Antetokounmpo () – Milwaukee BucksLaurie Hernandez () – GymnasticsAaron Judge () – New York YankeesChristian Pulisic () – Soccer 2018 Utah Jazz National Basketball Association Basketball Alvin Kamara () – New Orleans SaintsBen Simmons () – Philadelphia 76ersSloane Stephens () – Tennis 2019 New York Giants National Football League American football Naomi Osaka () – TennisChristian Yelich () – Milwaukee BrewersTrae Young () – Atlanta Hawks 2020Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Charlotte Hornets National Basketball Association Basketball Justin Herbert () – Los Angeles ChargersChase Young () – Washington Football TeamCrystal Dangerfield () – Minnesota Lynx 2022 Skiing Ja Morant () – Memphis GrizzliesTrinity Rodman () Washington SpiritJonathan Taylor () Indianapolis Colts 2023 LSU Women's Basketball NCAA Division I Basketball Caitlin Clark () – Iowa Women's BasketballBrock Purdy () San Francisco 49ersJulio Rodríguez () Seattle Mariners 2024 USC Women's Basketball NCAA Division I Basketball Haleigh Bryant () – LSU women's gymnasticsC. J. Stroud () Houston TexansVictor Wembanyama () San Antonio Spurs 2025 Bristol BearsPremiership Women's RugbyRugby unionCooper Flagg () – Duke men's basketballChloe Humphrey () – North Carolina women's lacrossePaul Skenes () – Pittsburgh Pirates 2026 Figure skating at the Olympic Games Figure skating Fernando Mendoza () – Indiana Hoosiers footballDrake Maye () – New England PatriotsMacklin Celebrini () – San Jose Sharks
See also Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year ATP Newcomer of the Year Award Calder Memorial Trophy (National Hockey League) MLB Rookie of the Year Award MLS Rookie of the Year Award NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award NBA Rookie of the Year Award NFL Rookie of the Year Award PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award
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