The 2024 ESPY Awards Updates: as Serena Williams Hosts and Prince Harry Gets Honored and others Celebrities like Patrick Mahomes, Caitlin Clark, Ciara, JuJu Watkins, A’Ja Wilson and more

Williams is hosting live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and we are chronicling every moment from the red carpet and inside the show.

For one night only, athletes from across every sport will gather to celebrate incredible feats and remarkable moments.

The 2024 ESPY Awards are being held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 11 starting at 8 p.m. EST. This year’s exciting host is Serena Williams, and expected attendees include Jennifer Garner, Quinta Brunson, Lindsey Vonn, Drew Brees and more.

WNBA rookie star Caitlin Clark is the athlete with the most nominations going into the night. In addition, we can expect to see Prince Harry, who is being honored with the Pat Tillman Award for Service, as well as Dawn Staley, who is receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.

From Serena Williams opening monologue at #ESPYS24

“Get up. Get off the TikTok. Work hard. See how capable you are. Be great. Be so great they don’t want to believe in you. Then, be greater.

After all of that…still don’t pick a fight with Kendrick” ☠️😂 pic.twitter.com/HFk5aJmo6J

— Chelsa Messinger (@ChelsaMessinger) July 12, 2024

left her mark at @IowaWBB ❤️

congratulations to Caitlin Clark for winning the ESPY for Best College Athlete. pic.twitter.com/cdbienXqiB

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 12, 2024

Congratulations to Patrick Mahomes on winning best male athlete! And Andy Reid accepting on his behalf. My heart. 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/iiekcYY4aS

— Lexi (@lexiosborne) July 12, 2024

Follow along as we covers the big night live, with updates from the red carpet and inside the show as the winners are crowned.

JuJu Watkins Named Best Breakthrough Athlete
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The USC women’s basketball star picked up one of the first awards of the night, being named the best breakthrough athlete.

Before the athlete’s name was called, presenter GloRilla made an understandable gaffe, initially saying “artist” instead of athlete. “My bad,” the rapper said as the crowd laughed along.

Serena Williams Has Jokes for Days in Opening Monologue
Serena Williams is bringing the looks — and the laughter — to the 2024 ESPY Awards.

The tennis legend, 42, stepped out on the award show stage as Ciara concluded her performance, and spared no time bringing the crowd in on her opening monologue.

Williams led off by congratulating Russell Wilson on his relationship with Ciara, “because dang,” referring to her performance just a few minutes earlier.

Another joke took aim at Caitlin Clark, who Williams said “had an amazing year.”

“Caitlin you are Larry Bird in that you’re an amazing player, you have ties to Indiana and white people are really crazy about you,” she joked about the Fever guard.

Turning the attention to Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs, who are up for the best team award, Williams jokingly jabbed that “Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend won the Super Bowl” this year.

Williams also shouted out Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stepped out for the award show for Harry to accept the Pat Tillman award for service.

Ciara Heats Up the 2024 ESPY Awards with Live Performances of Some of Her Biggest Tracks
The 2024 ESPYS Award ceremony is off to a bang — courtesy of Ciara.

The singer, 38, opened the award show with a performance of her hit song “Goodies,” which she then transitioned into “1,2 Step,” her collaboration with Missy Elliott.

Taking to the stage in a skin-tight black ensemble, Ciara gave a nod to Serena Williams by playing clips of the star tennis player on the screen behind her while backup dancers joined in on the choreography.

The performance ended with a rendition of “Level Up,” which garnered Ciara a standing ovation from the likes of Damar Hamlin and other NFL players in attendance.

Caitlin Clark Nabs Award for Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports at 2024 ESPY Awards
Caitlin Clark has added yet another accolade under her belt.

The Indiana Fever Guard, 22, won the 2024 ESPY award for best college athlete, coming at the heels of her legendary college basketball career with the Iowa Hawkeyes and signing to the Fever afterward.

Clark was up for the title alongside Haleigh Bryant, Sarah Franklin and Izzy Scane.

This isn’t Clark’s first ESPY win, as the athlete nabbed the same title at the 2023 edition of the award show. She was also previously nominated for best breakthrough athlete, but lost to Angel Reese.

A’Ja Wilson Wins Best WNBA Player Award at 2024 ESPYS
A’Ja Wilson has secured a huge win at the 2024 ESPY Awards.

The Las Vegas Aces player, 27, nabbed the award for best WNBA player, announced during the red carpet.

Wilson was up for the title alongside Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx, Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty and Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun.

This is the second year that Wilson has taken home the title, with her 2023 win being her first ESPY. She was also previously nominated for best college athlete in 2018.

See the Stars Arriving at the 2024 ESPY Awards Red Carpet
The 2024 ESPYS red carpet is heating up!

The sporting world’s biggest award night is a magnet for stars involved in and adjacent to athletics – and this year is no different.

Serena Williams, who is hosting the 2024 ESPY Awards, took to the red carpet in a body-hugging black dress accentuated with jewel-encrusted straps and bottom hem.

Denise Austin and Katie Austin took to the carpet in a shimmering silver dress and a cutaway red ensemble, respectively, embracing with smiles as they flexed their arm muscles for the camera.

Dancing with the Stars icon Maksim Chmerkovskiy also stepped out for the 2024 ESPYS red carpet donning a white patterned suit with a black shirt underneath and matching black shoes.

Notably, Louisiana State University Gymnastics star Olivia Dunne walked the carpet in a flowing golden dress and was photographed separately from other LSU student-athletes in attendance, who appeared on the carpet as a group.

Other stars in attendance on the carpet so far have included Candace and Anya Parker, Alexis Ohanian, Nick Viall and Natalie Joy and Halle Bailey, among others.

For inside looks at more of the celebrities in attendance, check out PEOPLE’s 2024 ESPY Awards red carpet arrival gallery.

Patrick Mahomes Wins ‘Best NFL Player’ Award at 2024 ESPYs
Patrick Mahomes’ win at the 2024 ESPYS came before the first attendees even hit the red carpet!

Mahomes, 28, was awarded his second consecutive best NFL player victory on Wednesday, July 10, during the ESPN afternoon show NFL Live. Mahomes also won the same award in 2019.

Other players in the running for the award were San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett.

Though the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback finished 2023 with 4,183 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, a lower figure than previous seasons, his successes included two road game wins, a third Super Bowl MVP trophy and leading the Chiefs to their third Lombardi trophy in five years.

In response to the win, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Grateful. Thank you @ESPYS.”

Mahomes secured an early victory with best NFL player, but he’s still up for best athlete, men’s sports, in which he’s nominated alongside Shohei Ohtani, Scottie Scheffler and Connor McDavid.

The 2023 ESPYS was a fruitful night for Kansas City, with Mahomes taking home both best NFL player and best athlete, men’s sports awards. The Chiefs also nabbed the best team award at that show.

“I’ve grown up watching the ESPYS and seeing a lot of great athletes win awards, and to be on this stage winning this award is a tremendous honor,” Mahomes said at the 2023 ESPYs after being named the best NFL player. “But it all wouldn’t be possible without God. So I want to thank him first. I truly believe that it was an incredible season.”

The Chiefs are up for best team at the award show yet again in 2024, with the South Carolina Gamecocks, Michigan Wolverines, Las Vegas Aces, University of Connecticut Huskies, Oklahoma Sooners, Boston Celtics, Florida Panthers and Texas Rangers also nominated for the prestigious title.

Serena Williams Is Feeling ‘Nervous’ About Her ESPYS Hosting Gig
Serena Williams is a pro in front of a big audience — when she’s not playing tennis, only.

Ahead of her first-ever ESPYS hosting gig, she told Good Morning America in an interview this week that she’s “definitely nervous.”

“I’ve been in rehearsals and it’s going OK,” she said, before adding that she’s “totally intimidated by large crowds when I’m not playing tennis.”

Luckily, there will be some other incredible female athletes gathered to help her feel confident. Said Williams, “This is the year for ladies in sport, and I’m excited to see all the ladies kind of rule the ESPYS and just be super awesome.”