Alex Morgan has scored a new achievement.
The former USWNT soccer player and WNBA star Diana Taurasi were honored with the Icon Award at the 2025 ESPY Awards in “recognition of their incredible careers and significant impact on the world of sports.”
During their joint acceptance speech, Alex credited the female athletes who came before her with providing her the opportunity to play almost two decades of soccer for both the US national team as well as the San Diego Wave and Orlando Pride.
“We’re standing on the shoulders of giants, and this is a huge tribute to them as much as us,” Alex said on stage at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theater July 16. “So, to the women before us, it’s because of you that we never have to apologize for speaking up or for fighting to raise the bar.”
She added, “It’s because of you that we have no limits.”
Similarly, Diana—who donned Jason of Beverly Hills jewlery for the big moment—thanked her support system while reflecting on her 20 seasons in the WNBA, during which she scored over 10,600 points.
“In my case, let’s celebrate my parents and their immigrant grit,” the basketball player said during the joint speech. “That’s the stuff that doesn’t show up in the highlight reels but it shows up when the lights go off and you’re still out there grinding—giving me a better life that’s built what my career is and built this country.”
The two women follow 2024 Icon Award recipient Nick Saban, the former Alabama head football coach.
Comedian Shane Gillis is hosting this year’s ESPY awards, which honors the athletic achievements of individuals and teams throughout the year. The event covers athletes across the board, with awards for Best MLB, NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and WNBA players, as well as the best player across driving, UFC, soccer, golf and tennis.
Heading into the evening, among the athletes nominated for these top spots were NFL’s Josh Allen—who tied the knot with Sinners’ Hailee Steinfeld earlier this year—the WNBA’s Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson, the NBA’s Nikola Jokic and tennis’ Coco Gauff.
The event also honors athletes’ breakthrough and comebacks, with rugby’s Ilona Maher nominated for the attention she’s brought to the sport while athletes such as gymnast Suni Lee and skier Lindsay Vonn were nominated for their comeback stories.
For Ilona, despite quipping that she’d finally “broken through” in her seventh year of playing rugby, the significance of her impact on the sport was not lost on her.
“I was like, ‘Oh that’s chill, that’s very cool.’ I’m really honored,” she told her sisters Olivia Maher and Adrianna Maher on their House of Maher podcast. “I think this is the first time rugby has ever been nominated in anything.”
The Olympian is joined in the category by basketball’s Cooper Flagg, lacrosse’s Chloe Humphrey as well as baseball’s Paul Skenes.
To see all the athletes in attendance at this year’s ceremony, keep reading.
Brooks Nader
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sloane Stephens
Alex Morgan
Russell Wilson & Ciara
Lindsey Vonn
Simone Biles & Jonathan Owens
Diana Taurasi
Gabby Thomas & Spencer McManes
Taylor Fritz
Whitney Cummings
Jordan Chiles
Garrett Josemans & Taylor Krause
Suni Lee
Jalen Carter
Ilona Maher
Josh Sweat
Alison Brie
Merab Dvalishvili
Sydney McLaughlin
Shareef O’Neal
Flau’jae Johnson
Shane Gillis & Grace Brassel
Druski
Alyssa Thompson
Terrell Owens
Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Samantha Tan
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Tobe Nwigwe & Fat Nwigwe
