National Football League

Curry and James up for best male athlete at ESPY Awards

Published Jun. 24, 2015 10:54 a.m. ET

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LOS ANGELES (AP) Stephen Curry and LeBron James are going head-to-head again not long after battling for the NBA title.

The Golden State Warriors champ and Cleveland Cavaliers superstar are among the nominees for best male athlete at the ESPY Awards. Serena Williams leads the list of nominees for best female athlete.

Joining Curry and James in the best male athlete category are Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt.

Besides Williams, UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, Connecticut basketball player Breanna Stewart and Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn are nominees for female athlete. Rousey earned another nod for best fighter, along with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Vonn was nominated for best comeback athlete.

The awards, hosted by Joel McHale, will air July 15 from Los Angeles on ABC.

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is nominated for best championship performance, along with three humans: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner, Florida softball pitcher Lauren Haeger and James. Victor Espinoza, who rode American Pharoah, is nominated for best jockey.

Masters and newly crowned U.S. Open winner Jordan Spieth and Little League World Series star Mo'ne Davis are among the nominees for best breakthrough athlete.

The nominees for best coach or manager are: Geno Auriemma of UConn women's basketball, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, Steve Kerr of Golden State, Mike Krzyzewski of Duke, and Urban Meyer of Ohio State football.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady earned a nod for best NFL player, along with Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown, Philadelphia Eagles running back DeMarco Murray, Rodgers and Watt.

Curry and James will compete for another trophy in the best NBA player category, along with Anthony Davis of New Orleans, James Harden of Houston, and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City.

Williams earned a second nomination as best female tennis player.

Online fan voting opened Wednesday and runs through July 15 at ESPN.com.