Brady, James, Ovechkin, Shiffrin earn bids for The ESPYs
LOS ANGELES (AP) Patriots quarterback Tom Brady vies for best male athlete while Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin contends a second time for best female athlete among nominations for The ESPYS honoring the past year's top sports achievements and moments.
Brady, a three-time nominee, will be up against first-time nominees Jose Altuve of the World Series champion Houston Astros, James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Alexander Ovechkin of the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals in male athlete nods announced Wednesday. Brady was also nominated in 2004 and 2008.
Shiffrin faces three first-time nominees for female athlete in Sylvia Fowles of the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx, Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and soccer player Julie Ertz.
Newly retired racecar driver Danica Patrick will be the first woman to host when the show airs July 18 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Kevin Durant of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, who won last year, received a nod for best championship performance. He goes against Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, World Series MVP George Springer and Villanova's Donte DiVincenzo, most outstanding player of the men's Final Four.
Brady is also nominated for record-breaking performance, along with tennis star Roger Federer, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Diana Taurasi of the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
Cleveland's LeBron James earned his 14th consecutive nomination for best NBA player and will be going for his third straight trophy. He is up against Harden, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis of the Pelicans.
The nominees for breakthrough athlete are Ben Simmons of the 76ers, Utah's Donovan Mitchell, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara and tennis player Sloane Stephens.
Winners of most categories will be determined by online fan voting that ends before the show airs.
