Dallas Mavericks Team Win Big at ESPY Awards
Coming off of a NBA championship win this year, the Dallas Mavericks were the big winners at the 2011 ESPY awards on Wednesday night. Best Team, Best Male Athlete, Best NBA Player and Best Coach/Manager awards were given to Dirk Nowitzki, his teammates, and coach.
Nowitzki, who won his first championship after thirteen years in the league, is the first NBA player to be named Best Male Athlete since Michael Jordan received the honor in 1993.
"I'm so humbled and honored by this," said the German power forward. "It's been an unreal year for all of us on the Mavericks."
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Although Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle received an award, it was team owner Mark Cuban who accepted the team award.
"If this Dallas Mavericks team proved anything, it's that good guys do win and can win and will win," Cuban said during his acceptance speech.
Although the NBA was heavily represented by the Mavericks at the ESPYS, Los Angeles Clippers’ rookie managed to nab the first award of the night. Blake Griffin, NBA rookie of the year, won the ESPY for Breakthrough Athlete.
The 22-year-old power forward averaged 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds this season and made the first rookie appearance at the NBA All-Star Game since Yao Ming did so in 2003.
Although the NBA was honored at the awards, other sports received recognition.
After an unbelievable performance in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup, fans voted for U.S. soccer star Abby Wambach. The forward was awarded the ESPY for Best Play.
Aaron Rodgers, Super Bowl MVP from the Green Bay Packers, received an award for Best NFL Player, while Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams received Best Male and Female tennis player awards.
Although surfing, swimming, bowling and college athletes were awarded, it was a former prisoner and disabled wrestler who stole the show.
Anthony Robles, an Arizona State NCAA wrestler who won the championship in spite of being born with one leg, received the Best Athlete With A Disability and Jimmy V Award. The wrestler spoke about being unstoppable in the face of opposition.
Another touching moment came to the awards in the form of Dewey Bozella. Bozella was wrongfully accused of a murder and sent to prison in 1983. He was not released until 2009.
The Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards began in 1993. Each year, ESPN uses the show as a platform to award the best teams and athletes in the world of sports. For a comprehensive listing of Wednesday night’s winners, visit www.espn.com.
