The best and worst looks from the 2026 ESPY Awards

• The 2026 ESPY Awards took place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Wednesday.
• Attendees like Jordyn Woods and Alysa Liu wore high-fashion looks on the red carpet.
• Others, like Dwight Howard, missed the mark with their ESPYs fashion.

Strands of gold gems covered the skin-toned base of the form-fitting dress, where they formed a tasseled skirt on the hemline. Gold shoes and diamond jewelry completed her sparkly ensemble.

Dwight Howard’s suit didn’t fit quite right.

Howard chose a black suit for the ESPYs, pairing his fitted, cropped jacket with flared pants and black boots. He went shirtless, adding a fun edge to the look.

The silhouette was a good idea for Howard, as the flared pants could have highlighted his height. However, the suit didn’t seem to fit him well. The pants were too short, and the jacket looked a size too small.

Different tailoring could have made Howard’s look a standout on the red carpet.

Alysa Liu’s monochrome look had a daring edge.

The gold medalist, who won best breakthrough athlete at the ESPYs, walked the red carpet in a floor-length, chocolate-brown gown designed by Louis Vuitton.

It had a plunging, cowl neckline that dipped all the way to Liu’s navel, while the back was completely open. The skirt formed a train for some added drama.

Liu styled the dress with an updo and a cross necklace that dangled low in the back with another cross pendant. She looked daring and stylish.

Meanwhile, Madison Chock’s minidress was too voluminous.

Chock arrived in a teal minidress by Christian Siriano. Ruffles of fabric covered the sheer base of the gown, creating padded shoulders, a high neckline, and a bubble skirt. She paired the dress with pointed-toe, white shoes and an updo.

The dress was fun, but it was so busy that it seemed to swallow Chock. It almost looked too much like a figure skating costume rather than a red-carpet dress.

The look might have worked better for Chock if the hemline had been longer or the top half of the dress had less volume.

Jayson Tatum’s tank top look was a nice change of pace on the red carpet.

Most of the men attending the ESPYs wore suits, which made Tatum’s monochrome look pop.

He paired a sage-green tank top with darker green trousers and black dress shoes. Diamond jewelry, including two chains and a bracelet, elevated the ensemble.

The Celtics star looked effortlessly cool in his outfit.

Ayesha Curry stunned in a semi-sheer, bedazzled dress.

Christian Siriano designed Curry’s daring, sheer gown. The black dress featured a strapless sweetheart neckline and padded hips, creating an exaggerated silhouette.

Crystal embellishments adorned the dress, forming the boning of a corset on the bodice and crisscrossing along the skirt. A denser collection of crystals framed the neckline, while the see-through skirt showed peeks of Curry’s legs.

Curry, who won the Muhammad Ali sports humanitarian award at the 2026 ESPYs alongside her husband, paired the bold dress with sparkly earrings and black pumps.

The color of Eileen Gu’s dress didn’t read well on the red carpet.

Guo Pei designed Gu’s metallic gown.

The dress had a dropped-waist bodice with a subtle cutout at the stomach, and a large flower formed a strap on one side. The pleated skirt flowed to the floor, with swaths of metallic fabric shining as she walked the red carpet. She paired it with an updo and an IWC Schaffhausen watch.

The dress had pretty elements, but there was a bit too much going on between the floral detailing and the architectural bodice. The colors also felt dull under the red-carpet lighting, rather than bold. Gu may have stood out more at the ESPYs if the dress had been strapless, had a less structured bodice, or had a simpler color scheme.

Russell Wilson’s jacket brought a pop of color to the red carpet.

Rather than just wearing a black suit, Wilson added a pattern to his outfit with a blue zebra-print jacket.

He kept the rest of his look simple, wearing black trousers, a white blouse, a black bow tie, and black shoes.

The jacket’s traditional silhouette and bold colors offered a fun spin on red-carpet style at the ESPYs without feeling too over-the-top.

Simone Biles’ champagne gown was stunning, but Jonathan Owens’ coordinating suit wasn’t as effective.

Biles went full glam for the 2026 ESPYs, arriving in a ball gown that had a dramatic slit in the front, showing off her legs, and a massive skirt that flowed into a train in the back. A fitted, corset bodice contrasted with the voluminous skirt, and Biles played up the drama with coordinating, strappy heels and a diamond choker.

Owens complemented Biles in an all-brown suit. His trousers flared slightly, which he paired with a cropped jacket. His accessories were interesting, including his sparkly brooch and waist chains, but the cropped jacket didn’t quite work with the rest of his silhouette.

A longer jacket would have taken Owens’ look to the next level.

Morgan Riddle’s structured dress was chic and sexy.

Thom Browne designed Riddle’s form-fitting, black dress.

The floor-length gown had an off-the-shoulder neckline, padded hips, and an exposed seam running down the center of the front for a play on suitwear. A faux pocket sat on the right side of the bodice in another fun nod to menswear.

Exposed corset laces in Browne’s signature red and blue covered the back of the dress for a high-fashion flair. Riddle let the dress be the star of the look, wearing minimal jewelry and her hair in a high ponytail.