Best Championship Performance ESPY Award

The Best Championship Performance ESPY Award was presented in 2001 and has been presented annually since 2004 to the sportsperson, irrespective of nationality, gender, or sport contested, adjudged to have given the best performance in a single championship game, series, or tournament played in a given calendar year; the award technically devolves on both the sportsperson achieving a performance and the performance itself.

For those team sports contested professionally in North America or collegiately in the United States, championship performances are those that occur in an ultimate game and match or ultimate series of games, whilst such performances in international team sports are those that occur in the ultimate game of a premier competition or in a world championship organized by a recognized governing body. Individual championship performances are those occurring in the ultimate game or match of a significant championship or in the series of games or matches that compose a single significant championship tournament or event (in golf and tennis, respectively, e.g., a major championship or Grand Slam tournament).

Balloting for the award is conducted over the Internet by fans from amongst between three and five choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee. 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 June and reflect performance from the June previous.

There was no award presented in 2019 or 2020.

List of winners

Year of award	Athlete	Nation represented or nation of citizenship	Date(s)	Game or event	Venue	Competition, governing body, or league	Competing teams	Sport	Performance
2001	Tiger Woods	United States	15 June 2000—18 June 2000	2000 United States Open	Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, United States	PGA Tour^[1]	Not applicable	Golf	Woods finishes the tournament having taken 272 strokes, 12 fewer than par, to defeat Ernie Els and Miguel Ángel Jiménez by 15 strokes and to set the United States Open record for best performance to par (broken in 2011) and the men's major championship record for margin of victory (which still stands)
2004	Phil Mickelson	United States	April 11, 2004	2004 Masters Tournament	Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, United States	PGA Tour^[2]	Not applicable	Golf	Mickelson completes the final nine holes of his last round in 31 strokes, birdieing five of his last seven, to post the lowest back nine score since 1986 and to overcome South African Ernie Els by one stroke to win his first career major championship
2005	Curt Schilling	United States	4 October—27 October 2004^[3]	2004 Major League Baseball playoffs	Edison International Field in Anaheim, California, United States Yankee Stadium in New York City, United States (Two games) Fenway Park in Boston, United States	Major League Baseball	Boston Red Sox Anaheim Angels (in the American League Division Series) New York Yankees (in the American League Championship Series) St. Louis Cardinals (in the World Series)	Baseball	Red Sox starting pitcher Schilling wins three games across the MLB playoffs, including the second game of the World Series, and posts 3.57 postseason earned run average whilst nursing an injured right ankle that is thrice surgically repaired during the playoffs
2006	Vince Young	United States	4 January 2006	2006 Rose Bowl	Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, United States	National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A	University of Texas Longhorns University of Southern California Trojans	American football	Young, as quarterback for the Longhorns, rushes 19 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns and one two-point conversion, completes 30 of 40 passes attempted for 267 yards, and wins the game's offensive most valuable player award
2007	Peyton Manning	United States	February 4, 2007	Super Bowl XLI	Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States	National Football League	Indianapolis Colts Chicago Bears	American football	Manning was named the game's Most Valuable Player, completing 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown.
2010	Drew Brees	United States	February 7, 2010	Super Bowl XLIV	Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States	National Football League	New Orleans Saints Indianapolis Colts	American football	Brees was named the game's MVP completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
2011	Tim Thomas	United States	June 1–15, 2011^[4]	2011 Stanley Cup Final	Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and TD Garden in Boston, United States	National Hockey League	Boston Bruins Vancouver Canucks	Hockey	Thomas, who stopped 238 of the Canucks' 246 shots on goal while leading the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup win since 1972, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs.^[5]
2012	LeBron James	United States	June 12–21, 2012	2012 NBA Finals	Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, United States and American Airlines Arena in Miami, United States	National Basketball Association	Miami Heat Oklahoma City Thunder	Basketball	After losing the first game in Oklahoma City, James led his team to four straight victories. In Game 5, James registered his only triple-double of the season with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists and would win his first NBA Championship. With averages of 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game, he was unanimously awarded the NBA Finals MVP.
2014	Kawhi Leonard	United States	June 5–15, 2014	2014 NBA Finals	AT&T Center in San Antonio, United States and American Airlines Arena in Miami, United States	National Basketball Association	San Antonio Spurs Miami Heat	Basketball	With his 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and his stifling defense against LeBron James in the 2014 NBA Finals, former San Diego State basketball star Kawhi Leonard won the 2014 ESPY for Best Championship Performance. He was also awarded the Finals MVP.^[6]
2015\|	LeBron James	United States	June 2015	2015 NBA Finals	Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States and Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio	National Basketball Association	Golden State Warriors Cleveland Cavaliers	Basketball	LeBron James became the first player in NBA Finals history to lead both teams in points, assists, and rebounds for the entire series. He averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists across six Finals games. James accounted for 38.3% of his team's points, the second-highest percentage ever behind Michael Jordan's 38.4% of the Chicago Bulls' points in the 1993 NBA Finals.^[7]
2016\|	LeBron James	USA	June 2016	2016 NBA Finals	Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States and Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio	National Basketball Association	Golden State Warriors Cleveland Cavaliers	Basketball	LeBron James became the first player in NBA Finals history to lead both teams in points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks for the entire series. He averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.3 blocks and 2.6 steals across seven Finals games. James became just the third player in history to record a triple double in a Game 7 of The Finals.
2017	Kevin Durant	USA	June 2017	2017 NBA Finals	Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States and Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio	National Basketball Association	Golden State Warriors Cleveland Cavaliers	Basketball	Durant averaged 35.2 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game and 5.4 assists per game as the Warriors avenged their 2016 Finals loss, defeating the Cavaliers in five games. The Warriors went 16-1 in the playoffs, almost becoming the first team in NBA history to go 16-0 in the postseason.
2018	Nick Foles	USA	February 4, 2018	Super Bowl LII	U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States	National Football League	Philadelphia Eagles New England Patriots	Football	Foles threw for 373 yards, 3 touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass as the Eagles avenged their Super Bowl XXXIX loss, defeating the Patriots 41-33. Foles was the first quarterback in Super Bowl history to catch a touchdown after executing the "Philly Special" on 4th and 1 at the end of the first half. Corey Clement received the direct snap, pitched to Tight End Trey Burton who then threw a perfect spiral to Foles in the right flat where he was wide open. Foles was named MVP and also engineered a game winning drive in the 4th quarter by hitting Zach Ertz for a touchdown.

Notes

^ The U.S. Open is under the control of the United States Golf Association and not the PGA Tour. However, the tour recognizes the U.S. Open as an official money event and one of the four major championships.
^ The Masters is the invitational tournament of Augusta National Golf Club, and the PGA Tour has no control over the event. However, as in the case of the U.S. Open, the tour recognizes The Masters as an official money event and major championship.
^ Schilling was honored for performance across the playoffs, which took place between 4 October and 27 October, inclusive; he played in games on 5 October (in the American League Division Series against the Anaheim Angels), 12 October (in the American League Championship Series [ALCS] against the New York Yankees), 19 October (in the ALCS against the Yankees), and 24 October (in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
^ Thomas was honored for his performance in the Stanley Cup Final, which took place between June 1 and June 15, inclusive. Thomas played in all seven games of the final; four games were played in Vancouver and three in Boston.
^ The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded for performance throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs, not solely the Stanley Cup Final.
^ http://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/7/16/5911327/former-sdsu-basketball-kawhi-leonard-wins-2014-espy-best-championship-performance
^ Cavaliers forward LeBron James makes Finals history in losing effort | SI.com

References

Enumeration of past winners from HickokSports.com at the Library of Congress Web Archives (archived 2002-02-23)

[1] The U.S. Open is under the control of the United States Golf Association and not the PGA Tour. However, the tour recognizes the U.S. Open as an official money event and one of the four major championships.

[2] The Masters is the invitational tournament of Augusta National Golf Club, and the PGA Tour has no control over the event. However, as in the case of the U.S. Open, the tour recognizes The Masters as an official money event and major championship.

[3] Schilling was honored for performance across the playoffs, which took place between 4 October and 27 October, inclusive; he played in games on 5 October (in the American League Division Series against the Anaheim Angels), 12 October (in the American League Championship Series [ALCS] against the New York Yankees), 19 October (in the ALCS against the Yankees), and 24 October (in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

[4] Thomas was honored for his performance in the Stanley Cup Final, which took place between June 1 and June 15, inclusive. Thomas played in all seven games of the final; four games were played in Vancouver and three in Boston.

[5] The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded for performance throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs, not solely the Stanley Cup Final.

[6] ttp://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/7/16/5911327/former-sdsu-basketball-kawhi-leonard-wins-2014-espy-best-championship-performance

[7] Cavaliers forward LeBron James makes Finals history in losing effort | SI.com

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v t e ESPY Awards
Cross-cutter	Arthur Ashe Courage Award Female Athlete Male Athlete Female College Athlete Male College Athlete Breakthrough Athlete Coach/Manager Female Athlete with a Disability Male Athlete with a Disability Game Perseverance Upset Moment Play Record-Breaking Performance Team
Individual	Female Action Male Action Bowler Boxer Driver Female Golfer Male Golfer Jockey MLS MLB MMA Fighter NBA NFL NHL NWSL Female Tennis Male Tennis WNBA International Athlete Male U.S. Olympian Female U.S. Olympian
Former	Action Soccer Female Soccer Male Soccer U.S. Olympian Male College Basketball Female College Basketball College Football Disabled Angler Golfer Female Track Male Track Outdoor Sportsman Movie Undeniable Performance Track and Field Comeback Athlete Fighter
Ceremonies	1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

List of winners

See also

Notes

References