The Best And Worst Dressed Stars At The 2026 ESPY Awards

Whether it's Michael Jordan's boxy suits and eponymous sneakers or Serena Williams' Y2K on-court looks, sport and fashion have gone hand in hand for decades. However, for every high-end fashion fan like Travis Kelce, there's a Giannis Antetokounmpo who'd rather wear Dri-FIT than Dior.

With that in mind, the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, otherwise known as the ESPYs, are an interesting proposition. It's an awards show where the stars of the slopes, skates, soccer fields, and courts come together in their designer garments or running trainers (or both!), with varied results. The 2026 ESPYs' red carpet was no different. Some of the looks were great, some were good, and some showed that these athletes should really stick to sports. So, get ready, get steady, as we're going to take a look at the best and worst outfits from the 2026 ESPYs.

Is there anything Steph Curry can't do? He's won four NBA Championships, he's a two-time MVP, and many consider him the greatest shooter of all time. Heck, at the 2026 ESPY Awards, he picked up the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his work with the Eat Learn Play Foundation. Oh, and he dresses phenomenally, too. On the red carpet, the Golden State Warrior wore a subtle yet powerful pinstripe Gucci suit with a slick, shiny navy shirt to make it clear that he also knows ball when it comes to fashion.

At the 2026 ESPY Awards, Jake Paul looked like the Wario to Steph Curry's Mario. The part-time boxer and entrepreneur showed he was no pro, and certainly no MVP, when it comes to dressing. While Paul and Curry's suits are blue and black, the tale of the tape reveals Paul's suit is everything Curry's isn't. The former rapper's suit is creased and looks a little too tight, and the maroon sunglasses only make the fit look more kitschy. Paul should stick to influencing and boxing.

There are many tragic details about Sunisa Lee. But the American gymnast, who had been out of action for the best part of two years with an incurable kidney disease, made sure people didn't forget her in this red dress at the 2026 ESPYs. Her shimmering red strapless number with silver accessories was stunning. "You should be able to be confident and trust yourself," said Lee on the ESPYs red carpet when asked what message she had for young people inspired by her comeback (via Instagram). She certainly looked it.

Alongside her baseball pitcher partner, Justin Verlander, Kate Upton attended the 2026 ESPY Awards in a Schiaparelli look that shouldn't have made it past first base. If you find yourself looking at this dress and thinking of angel wings or a headless person, don't be surprised. It looks as though the Rorschach Inkblot Test had been turned into a high-end gown and dyed royal blue. Sadly, due to that bizarre pattern, the frequent Sports Illustrated star's velvet dress confuses more than it stuns.

Winter Olympics legend Lindsey Vonn looked breathtaking in a gun-metal gray sparkly Gucci dress. The look, which has also been worn by Paris Hilton, has one sleeve cut off and features shimmering silver sequins all over that are worthy of a gold medal. To make the look even more impressive, she was serving through the pain. "It's been five months since I've been able to actually go to the gym," Vonn told People on the ESPYs red carpet. "And walking is actually still really hard for me. My ankle is still broken."

We do admire NFL legend Russell Wilson's attempt to do something different sartorially at the 2026 ESPY Awards with his zebra-print tuxedo jacket. But, like all great sports stars, he has to dust himself off and go again after this L of a 'fit. The former Seattle Seahawks quarterback looked more costumed than elegant for a high-end awards show at the Lincoln Center. In fact, it is akin to the bad outfits seen on NFL pundit tables. As one X user remarked, "Soon to be disgruntled CBS TV personality Russell Wilson."

Taylor Swift has proved that elegance starts with red gowns, and if anyone doubts the "Style" singer's findings, here's the second sensational red dress on this list. Much like the aforementioned Sunisa Lee, the Winter Olympian Chloe Kim looked, as the internet would say, cold in this all-red look with silver Tiffany & Co. jewels to boot. Looking all loved up on the red carpet with NFL ace Myles Garrett, Kim's crimson Alex Perry-designed dress was half strapless bodice, half flowing skirt, and all stunning.

Eileen Gu — the Olympian JD Vance tore into is more visible than ever. Indeed, at the 2026 ESPY Awards, she wore a green and purple metallic dress that was eye-catching but not particularly eye-pleasing. The strange color-combo'd dress, designed by Guo Pei, had a metallic sheen that lent it a cheap and tacky quality. Strange, considering the Chinese designer's pieces are anything but affordable. Gu is a model and a longtime ambassador for Louis Vuitton as well as a freeski star, so we expect a better look than this.

Who is Morgan Riddle? Well, the tennis influencer, dubbed the most famous woman in the game, wore a striking Thom Browne gown at the 2026 ESPYs. The dress featured a long, corsetted back with Browne's signature red, white, and blue tri-color stripes emblazoned on the lace that held the gown together. Riddle, who dated American tennis star Taylor Fritz for almost six years, showed she can compete with the best tennis has to offer when it comes to dressing.

The figure skater Madison Chock wore a turquoise tulle dress from Christian Siriano that was both daring and a little disastrous at the 2026 ESPYs. "I saw a comment on twitter that said Madi looks like a turquoise Big Bird, and I can't unsee it," said one user on Reddit. "Is Madison wearing the algae from the reflecting pool?" asked another. The Winter Olympian's dress was compared to everything from algae to loofahs to broccoli. Indeed, Chock didn't look quite as good on the ESPYs red carpet as she does on the ice.

The New York Knicks' Tyler Kolek is considered one of the NBA's best-dressed players by menswear enthusiasts. The NBA tunnel has seen him fitted in everything from a vintage Issey Miyake bomber jacket to bags from The Row. At the 2026 ESPYs, the point guard only bolstered his style savant reputation. Kolek arrived at the awards in a subtle black suit, leather shoes, and a navy shirt. A combo not dissimilar from fellow NBA star Steph Curry, and it was also a winning one on the night.

Whether it's poor proportions or a lousy fit, there are many reasons a good suit can go bad or a bad suit can go good. Well, the comic Fortune Feimster's look at the 2026 ESPY Awards was just plain bad in all the worst ways. Indeed, the "Crushing It" stand-up did anything but with this baby pink suit. It had no cohesion at all; the suit pants were tight while the suit jacket looked oversized. If any part of this suit actually fits, it's hard to tell which aspect.

Simone Biles looked drop-dead gorgeous at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding, and the seven-time gold medal-winning gymnast looked to die for again in July 2026 at the ESPY Awards. Biles wore a gold-slash-champagne colored custom Eman AlAjlan dress on the red carpet, in what was a show-stopping look. She completed the 'fit with a pair of open-toed Le Silla stiletto heels and hubby Jonathan Owens by her side in a chocolate brown suit. Her look gets a perfect 10 execution score from us, no notes.

Despite winning gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, speed skater Jutta Leerdam sadly didn't have quite the same sartorial success at the 2026 ESPY Awards. Attending the ceremony with her other half, Jake Paul, the Dutchwoman's silver Schiaparelli looked a little cheap. The silver material, punctuated by blocks of skin-colored fabric, was more reminiscent of aluminum foil or metallic spandex than high-end design. It's the second subpar look on our list from the French fashion house. Sacré bleu!

The former NBA baller Dwight Howard looked like a '70s superstar, à la James Bond, in his double-breasted suit at the 2026 ESPY Awards. His suit was all about the cut. The jacket was tastefully cropped at the waist – though Howard stands at 6 feet 10 inches, it may have just been a normal-sized blazer — and his pants had a subtle flared kick to them. What's more, he showed sartorial confidence by going shirtless. His heeled Chelsea boots were the winning buzzer-beating shot to round out the outfit.

"[Jayson Tatum is] dressed like the dry cleaners burned down," quipped one user on X reviewing the Boston Celtics forward's 2026 ESPY Awards outfit. "What [do] you think Brunson would say if he saw this?" added another X onlooker. Indeed, Tatum's fit was totally all over the place. Furthermore, he paired a military green vest with sparkling silver necklaces. Below the belt, he wore green slacks with black loafers. Naturally, this baffling outfit went viral for all the wrong reasons.

The pickleball player Anne Leigh Waters played a blinder with her look at the 2026 ESPYs. It was such a good look that it could've been worn to a wedding, with her all-white Mac Duggal gown featuring inspired floral touches and a figure-hugging bodice. The addition of a pickleball-inspired bejeweled clutch completed the look. "We made a pickleball design," said Leigh Waters on the red carpet (via Instagram). "Thought it'd be a good talking point at the ESPYs." It was certainly a good outfit, too.

Ilona Maher's Retrofête two-piece, sourced at T.J. Maxx, was a look fit for a sorority party, not an awards show. The American rugby player wore a bejeweled tube top with a long, high-waisted white skirt, and while not a bad outfit per se, it could use a bit more formality for the red carpet ceremony. "I'm a Maxxinista," Maher said in 2025 when partnering with the retailer (via People). "I love shopping at TJ Maxx ..." Well, we're looking for fashionistas, not Maxxinistas.

Folarin Balogun was the USMNT's star player at the 2026 World Cup, so important that his ban was controversially overturned by President Donald Trump, and he shone bright at the 2026 ESPYs, with help from the natural diamonds on his ears. The Brooklyn-born and London-raised soccer scorer wore a classically cool black tuxedo and added a T-shirt beneath it for a modern twist. "Clean fit + natural diamonds = yeah this is a win," said a user on X. "[L]adies and gents your new face of the team," added another X'er.

Despite a daring structure, Dion Dawkins' beige suit-ish look at the 2026 ESPYs wasn't appropriate for an awards show. The tunic-esque shirt that revealed his bare arms and the ultra-wide pants with sand-colored slip-ons gave the outfit the vibe of an overly stylized Roman emperor costume. "The lights, everything is hot, I'm a big guy ... I can't be out here sweating," the Buffalo Bills star told Men's Health, explaining his look. "I just went lighter ... I said 'bro, let's cut the arms off.'" Well, comfort doesn't always equal style.

Like LeBron James or Sue Bird, no matter what the variation, iteration, or age, the little black dress always delivers. The Washington Mystics' Lauren Betts used the dress's evergreen chic to her advantage at the 2026 ESPYs. She put an upmarket spin on the classic look with her bedazzled, slightly sheer version. She was at the event to collect the award for Best College Athlete in Women's Sports, but, in terms of her style, she looked like no rookie in this timeless 'fit.

"It is an honor, and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYS this year," said "Saturday Night Live" cast member Marcello Hernández ahead of the 2026 awards (via E! News). "I'm sure the energy is going to be great." The energy was great, but Hernández's outfit wasn't. From the lapel-less suit to the loafers sans socks, his outfit looked half completed. Sadly, Hernández looked a lot cooler in the award's promotional Instagram images, where he parodied iconic sporting photos, than he did onstage.

Alysa Liu was one of the best-dressed athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the figure skater dressed to impress again with her plunging-neckline dress at the ESPY Awards the same year. The Louis Vuitton ambassador wore a look from the French fashion house with a deep, plunging neckline and statement cross jewelry around her neck. When Liu turned around, the dress' stunning backless cut and her lower-back tattoo came to light. If she keeps it up, she'll be one of the best-dressed at the 2030 winter games.

As seen in looks from Zendaya or LeBron James, pairing a suit with sneakers can work. However, Damar Hamlin's suit and sneakers didn't. The Buffalo Bills' safety wore a fully white suit, tie 'n' all, with a pair of Asics running shoes, and it's a matter of this suit not working with these particular sneakers. Hamlin's a fan of the Japanese running brand, and he even has a custom pair for the football field. However, his ESPYs look needed sleek sneakers like the trendy Dries Van Noten's.

The rapper French Montana looked uber classy in his white double-breasted suit with blue pinstripes, which featured a subtle nod to the New York Knicks via his orange and navy tie. He paired his sophisticated top-half combo with some equally elevated black pants and loafers. Montana, a fan of the championship-winning Knicks who was seen at their celebration parade and even made a remix song to celebrate the historic W, captioned an Instagram post from the ESPYs, "CITY OF CHAMPIONS." His outfit is fit for a champ, that's for sure.

From the cut to the pattern, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde's black suit, with its strange oak-style detailing, looked unnatural at the 2026 ESPYs. The pattern and cut of the suit were strange. The blazer crumpled at his waist, and the sleeves were a little too short. Moreover, his billowing trousers and brown shoes added to the incohesion. Kilde is a skier and, on the slopes, he wears skin-tight lycra. To improve his next red carpet looks, he should take inspiration from the form-fitting nature of his work clothes. You may want to see those celebs dubbed worst-dressed in ESPY Award history.