The greatest ESPYs moments of all time

Though they've only been around for about a quarter century, a laughably short amount of time as far as awards shows go, the ESPY Awards have become the premier honors in sports. In order to prepare you for this year's gala, we've gone back in time to select the 20 best moments in the history of the awards show.

1 of 20

1993: Jimmy V's speech

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This is not only arguably the most memorable ESPYs moment ever, but it also launched an organization that has been fighting cancer to this day. Jim Valvano's emotional and uplifting speech from the 1993 ESPYs wasn't just a memorable ESPYs moment — but it also was one of the best speeches of all time. Watch it here.

2 of 20

1997: Sidney Poitier introduces Muhammad Ali

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Sidney Poitier's introduction of Muhammad Ali at the 1997 ESPYs marked an important moment, with Ali's activism and fire front and center. Watch it here.

3 of 20

2003: Coach Do Dirty

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When he hosted the ESPY Awards for the first time back in 2003, Jamie Foxx started a tradition of roasting athletes — a tradition that is alive and well to this day. His Coach Do Dirty character made multiple appearances in both 2003 and 2004, and you can watch them here.

4 of 20

2003: "Can I Be Your Tennis Ball?"

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Jamie Foxx was so successful as an ESPYs host in 2003 that he was invited back the next year. It's lucky he was, otherwise we wouldn't have been treated to "Can I Be Your Tennis Ball" pts. 1 and 2 — an epic R&B ballad. Watch both parts here, and make sure you don't miss Serena Williams spanking Foxx with a heart-shaped racket.

5 of 20

2005: Destiny's Child featuring Serena Williams and Allyson Felix

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Back in 2005, Destiny's Child brought a bit of the Grammys to the ESPYs as they performed their hit song "Lose My Breath." As if that weren't enough of a treat, they were also joined onstage by tennis star Serena Williams and track star Allyson Felix. Watch the performance here.

6 of 20

2007: LeBron James as Bobby Brown?

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It'd be hard to say King James isn't a showman. At the 2007 ESPY Awards, LeBron performed Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative" complete with MC Hammer pants, backup dancers and a gigantic set that included a huge display of his name in lights. The song itself was a bit pitchy, though. Watch the video here.

7 of 20

2008: Justin Timberlake loves sports

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Justin Timberlake outdid himself with this epic ode to sports fandom back in 2008. It's peppered with decade-old sports jokes, to be sure, but it's still hilarious, and Timberlake is as charming as ever. Watch it here.

8 of 20

2008: Will Ferrell as Tiger Woods

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Will Ferrell has had a ton of funny moments at the ESPYs over the years, but he may have peaked when he accepted the Best Male Athlete Award for Tiger Woods and launched into a hilarious, boastful monologue. Watch the whole thing here.

9 of 20

2009: "The Comeback" starring Samuel L. Jackson

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Back in 2009, we were treated to this hilarious short film starring Samuel L. Jackson. We don't want to spoil it, but suffice it to say it follows Jackson as he attempts to fulfill his dreams by making it big in football — pee-wee football.

10 of 20

2010: Will Ferrell invents the vuvuzela

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Forgive us for reminding you of the hated vuvuzela, that noisemaker that rose to international fame during the 2010 World Cup. That said, Will Ferrell's hilarious portrayal of the horn's "inventor," Jeff Vuvuzela, almost makes all the noise worth it. Almost. Watch the clip here.

11 of 20

2010: "The Dark Side"

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Peyton Manning might not be a good actor, but his deadpan is spot on — and it really shines in this parody trailer that recuts "The Blind Side" into a movie that's much darker. Watch the clip here.

12 of 20

2011: Anthony Robles' two big wins

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After being introduced by Jay Leno, wrestler Anthony Robles took the stage to accept the second award he received at the 2011 ESPY Awards for the greatness he achieved with the use of only one leg. You can't help but smile along with Robles as he delivers a fiery, uplifting and intensely motivating speech. Watch it here.

13 of 20

2012: Pat Summitt wins the Arthur Ashe Courage Award

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This speech is another classic in the pantheon of great sports speeches. Legendary women's basketball coach Pat Summitt was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award back in 2012, and the short film that was shown at the ESPYs in her honor was incredibly touching. You can watch it all here.

14 of 20

2013: Jon Hamm's monologue

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In 2013, hosting duties fell to Jon Hamm, who started off the proceedings with an extended monologue, humorously ribbing the athletes in attendance and poking fun at the year's most notable sports moments the way only he could. Watch the full intro here.

15 of 20

2014: Stuart Scott's emotional award acceptance

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The Jimmy V Award acceptance speeches, year after year, are always classic, emotional and uplifting, and beloved sports personality Stuart Scott's speech from 2014 is no exception. The speech continues to be quoted to this day even after his death, and for good reason. Watch the presentation here.

16 of 20

2014: "Lance Cam"

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You remember that time Lance Stephenson lovingly blew into LeBron James's ear during a game? Well, Drake sure did. At the 2014 ESPYs, he spoofed that moment with a well-executed "Lance Cam" segment that you can watch in full here.

17 of 20

2014: Drake as Manny Pacquiao

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We bet that when you woke up this morning, you didn't think you'd be watching a video of Drake doing an impression of Manny Pacquiao singing a version of "Let It Go" from "Frozen." You can thank us later. The link is right here.

18 of 20

2015: Caitlyn Jenner's speech

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Caitlyn Jenner's 2015 ESPYs speech, after she received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, was incredibly moving, but moreover, it was also a big moment for transgender visibility and acceptance. You can watch the whole speech here.

19 of 20

2016: Eric Berry's speech

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After successfully battling Hodgkin's lymphoma, Eric Berry went ahead and had one of the better seasons in recent memory. His struggle and triumph were both inspirations, and his moving speech at the 2016 ESPYs was a testament to that. You can watch it here.

20 of 20

2016: Craig Sager's speech

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Before he passed away after battling cancer for years, the legendary Craig Sager was presented with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2016 ESPY Awards by Joe Biden. His speech was earnest, full of hope, humor and all of the charm that we remember Sager for today. Watch the full presentation here.

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