The ESPYs always walk a tightrope between celebration and satire. This year, with comedian Shane Gillis hosting, the rope snapped—and he took some Kentucky legends down with it.
Former UK stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Karl-Anthony Towns were in the house for ESPN’s big night. SGA was fresh off a season for the ages: NBA scoring leader, league MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, Finals MVP, and NBA champion. That’s a résumé you carve into stone. But Gillis, known for pushing boundaries, treated it more like a chalkboard.
“SGA is here,” Gillis smirked. “Everybody sitting around him is in foul trouble.