Curry already tied LeBron with four titles. Now he’s matched him in ESPYs hosting gigs.
Steph Curry will host the 30th edition of ESPN’s ESPY Awards, according to famed NBA news breaker Wardell Stephen Curry.
July 20 we live!! @espn @ABCnetwork pic.twitter.com/GHM0rVLDvO
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) June 29, 2022
Curry is already a four-time NBA champion, an eight-time All-NBA selection, a two-time MVP, and a Finals MVP, but the haters have always said that he needed to host an awards show to truly go down as an all-time great. Those haters will have to eat their words when Curry takes the stage on July 20th as ESPYs host – and also a nominee in three categories (Best Male Athlete, Best NBA Player, and Best Record-Breaking Performance, for breaking Ray Allen’s three-point record. The Golden State Warriors are up for Best Team, while Klay Thompson should be the overwhelming favorite for Best Comeback Athlete.
It’s an extension of Curry’s relationship with ABC/ESPN, which airs his miniature golf game show Holey Moley, currently airing its fourth season this summer, called Holey Moley Four-Ever. Normally, Curry is known for his family-friendly demeanor, but perhaps ESPN saw his transformation into the “Petty King” this summer and decided that Chef Curry was capable of roasting his fellow athletes.
The Petty King issued a gracious statement about the gig: “I’ve had the pleasure of attending The ESPYS but never imagined I’d have the privilege of hosting this special event. As someone who loves the intersection of sports and entertainment, I look forward to delivering an exciting show for the fans while we celebrate the athletes who created the top moments of the year.”
Look, who doesn’t love the intersection of sports and entertainment? The Warriors certainly love it. And with his powerful role as ESPYs host, perhaps the company can finally award an ESPY for Best Podcast, something Draymond Green would really appreciate. Obviously he’s got Best Mini-Golf Game Show Executive Producer on lock.
There have a been a number of athletes who have hosted the ESPYs, but Curry is only the second NBA player to host, after LeBron James did it in 2007 at age 22. Which means we can look forward to Kendrick Perkins claiming that Steph can only host successfully because he has an expensive team of writers coming up with material, and Brian Windhorst derisively referring to Steph’s “checkbook monologue” only being possible thanks to ESPN’s big budget. Cleveland Cavaliers fans will insist that LeBron’s hosting gig was more impressive because he didn’t have a super team of producers behind him, though they’ll ignore that he recruited Jimmy Kimmel to take his talents to the Kodak Theatre and co-host with him.
Speaking of writers, I’d like to remind the producers that I’m available to staff on the show, with my “Don Nelson’s Bartending Academy” sketch a sure hit, and I’m even willing to sell them my Stranger Things-Holey Moley mashup film, entitled Unholy Moley. Plus, where else am I going to use three pages of monologue jokes about Anthony Randolph and Troy Murphy?
The ESPYs are airing on July 20th on ESPN at 5:00 PM Pacific Time.