The 2023 ESPY Awards took place on Wednesday from Los Angeles, California. Earlier today we featured the NFL players who were recognized. Now it is time to look at the National Basketball Association players honoured.
Jamal Murray
The Canadian from Kitchener, Ontario won the best comeback athlete award. Murray was an instrumental part of the Denver Nuggets team that won the 2023 NBA Finals. After missing almost a year and a half with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Murray returned to the Nuggets and averaged 26.1 points per game in the NBA Playoffs. Denver won its first league championship in franchise history. Murray was one of two Canadians honoured on Wednesday. The other was Edmonton Oilers centre and captain Connor McDavid of Richmond Hill, Ontario, who won the National Hockey League Best Player of the Year.
Nikola Jokic
The native of Sombor, Serbia won the NBA Player of the Year. He averaged 24.5 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game, and 9.8 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of .632, three-point percentage of .383, and a free throw percentage of .822 in the regular season for the Nuggets. In the postseason, Jokic averaged 30 points per game, 13.5 rebounds per game, and 9.5 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of .548, three-point percentage of .461 and free throw percentage of .799. He was also named MVP of the NBA Finals.
LeBron James
The native of Akron, Ohio won the best record breaking performance award while with the Los Angeles Lakers. James set the NBA record for most points all-time with 38,390, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James now has 38652 points.
Jrue Holiday
The native of Chatsworth, California was an All-Star point guard this past season for the Milwaukee Bucks. However, he and his wife, United States women’s soccer player Lauren Holiday, won the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for their outstanding work helping businesses owned by African Americans.
