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No ESPY award for either Joel Embiid or Jalen Hurts

Hurts and Embiid were both nominated, but the awards went to Patrick Mahomes and Nikola Jokić.

Mike Tyson presents the award for best team to professional NFL football player Patrick Mahomes, of the Kansas City Chiefs at the ESPY awards on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Mike Tyson presents the award for best team to professional NFL football player Patrick Mahomes, of the Kansas City Chiefs at the ESPY awards on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.Read moreMark Terrill / Mark Terrill/Invision/AP

Though both Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and 76ers center Joel Embiid were MVP candidates throughout their respective seasons, with Embiid actually winning his first NBA MVP award, neither of the Philly sports stars claimed an ESPY award during Wednesday night’s ceremony in Los Angeles.

Instead, those awards went to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets, respectively, for Best NFL Player and Best NBA Player. The reigning MVP Mahomes also won the award for best athlete in men’s sports with Jokić, the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, and World Cup champion Lionel Messi as the other nominees.

The Chiefs won the ESPY for best team. Throughout the evening, tight end Travis Kelce, brother of Eagles center Jason, made the most of his moments, rapping along with musician Lil Wayne and later, getting the crowd of athletes and celebrities to chant with him in unison as the show ended.

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