The Golden State Warriors were honored with three ESPYs at the 2015 ESPY Awards ceremony in Los Angeles tonight, with Stephen Curry named “Best Male Athlete” and “Best NBA Player,” while Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr won “Best Coach/Manager.” Fans determined the winners in each category by voting online beginning in late June, when the nominations were announced, until the start of this evening’s ceremony, which was broadcast on ABC.
Curry, a first-time winner in both categories, helped lead the Warriors to their first championship in 40 years with a 4-2 series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. In addition, the six-year veteran joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in franchise history to be named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Curry led the league in three-point field goals for a third consecutive season, hitting 286 threes to break his own NBA-record for regular season three-pointers and connecting on an NBA postseason record 98 threes in the 2015 Playoffs. Also nominated for “Best Male Athlete” were LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) and J.J. Watt (Houston Texans); also nominated for “Best NBA Player” were James, Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), James Harden (Houston Rockets) and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Kerr became the first NBA head coach to lead his team to a championship in his first year at the helm since Pat Riley in 1981-82. Golden State combined to win 83 games in the regular season and playoffs, the third highest combined win total in NBA history behind only the 1995-96 and 1996-97 Bulls. Kerr has been a part of all three teams in NBA history to win at least 83 games in a single season (two as a player, one as a coach). Also nominated for “Best Coach/Manager” were Geno Auriemma (University of Connecticut), Bill Belichick (New England Patriots), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke) and Urban Meyer (Ohio State).