Curry, Arrieta take home early ESPY awards
The first award of the 2016 ESPYS was given to Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry for best record-breaking performance.
The reigning two-time NBA MVP, Curry broke his own record for most made 3-pointers in a season as the Warriors went on to win an NBA-record 73 regular season games.
“We had a great year, we got beat by a great team,” Curry said in accepting the award and acknowledge Golden State’s Finals loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Curry also took time out of his brief acceptance speech to thank fellow NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James for their message of social change that began the award ceremony.
Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta took home best breakthrough performance honors, edging out MMA star Conor McGregor, three-time gold-medal-winning snowboarder Chloe Kim, and NBA rookie of the year Karl-Anthony Towns.
Arrieta, 30, recorded an MLB-best 22 wins and second-best 1.77 ERA en route to winning the 2015 National League Cy Young Award. He also helped the Cubs to an NLCS appearance, their first since 2003. In April 2016, he became just the third Cub to throw two no-hitters. Presenters Lindsey Vonn and J.J. Watt accepted the ESPY on his behalf.
Sergeant Elizabeth Marks was the recipient of this year’s Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Marks overcame a devastating injury in Iraq and lung disease to become a world class paraswimmer.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Eric Berry won the award for comeback player of the year.
He was diagnosed in November 2014 with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and missed the rest of the season, but he was cleared to return to football by both personal physicians and team doctors shortly before the start of training camp last summer.
He earned his starting spot back, and — over the last several games of the season — played as well as he had at any time before his illness.
Berry finished third on the Chiefs in tackles and had two interceptions. After the season he played in the fourth Pro Bowl of his six-year NFL career.
“I’m not accepting this award for me, I’m accepting this for all the fighters out there,” Berry said in his acceptance speech.
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