Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated has annually presented the Sportsman of the Year award to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement." Both Americans and non-Americans are eligible, though in the past the vast majority of winners have been from the United States. Both men and women have won the award, originally called "Sportsman of the Year" and renamed "Sportswoman of the Year" or "Sportswomen of the Year" when applicable.
Tiger Woods, Tom Brady and LeBron James are the only individuals who have received the award more than once. Woods received his first award in 1996 as an amateur golfer, and in 2000 as a professional golfer.[1] Brady received his first award in 2005, and his second in 2021. James received his first award in 2012, his second in 2016, and a third in 2020.[2] Curt Schilling and Stephen Curry have won the award both individually and as part of a team.[3]
The trophy is a ceramic replica of an ancient Greek amphora (c. 510 BCE) which depicts nude male Hellenistic athletes engaged in a variety of athletic activities—running, discus, and javelin. It measures 8" in diameter and stands 18.5" high (20.32 x 47 cm). The original amphora was acquired by Sports Illustrated magazine in 1954 and was donated to the "Sports" collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in 1979.[4] Winners of the award are now presented with a copy of the amphora made in silver by Tiffany & Co.[5]
The award's trophy, a ceramic urn depicting great athletes, has been given to the following recipients:
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Sport | Achievement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | First sub-four-minute mile | ||||
| 1955 | Baseball | World Series MVP | |||
| 1956 | Track and field | Triple Olympic gold medalist | |||
| 1957 | Baseball | National League batting champion | |||
| 1958 | Track and field | Decathlon world record | |||
| 1959 | World Heavyweight Champion | ||||
| 1960 | PGA Player of the Year | ||||
| 1961 | Final Four MVP | ||||
| 1962 | Heisman Trophy winner | ||||
| 1963 | NFL Commissioner; credited for expansion and the suspension of athletes for gambling | ||||
| 1964 | Golf | U.S. Open champion | |||
| 1965 | Baseball | World Series Champion, Cy Young Award, Triple Crown winner, World Series MVP | |||
| 1966 | Track and field | Mile world record | |||
| 1967 | Baseball | Triple Crown winner, AL MVP | |||
| 1968 | nowrap | NBA champion player-coach | |||
| 1969 | Baseball | Cy Young Award, World Series champion | |||
| 1970 | NHL MVP, Art Ross, Conn Smythe, Norris | ||||
| 1971 | Golf | PGA Player of the Year | |||
| 1972 | Tennis | Three major titles | |||
| College basketball | NCAA champion coach | ||||
| 1973 | Formula One World Champion | ||||
| 1974 | Boxing | World heavyweight champion | |||
| 1975 | Baseball | World Series MVP | |||
| 1976 | Tennis | Two major titles | |||
| 1977 | Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey | ||||
| 1978 | Golf | British Open champion | |||
| 1979 | Professional football | Super Bowl MVP | |||
| Baseball | NL MVP, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP | ||||
| 1980 | Hockey | Olympic gold medalists | |||
| 1981 | Boxing | World welterweight champion | |||
| 1982 | Hockey | NHL MVP, Art Ross | |||
| 1983 | Track and field | Double world champion | |||
| 1984 | Track and field | Olympic gold medalist | |||
| Olympic gold medalist | |||||
| 1985 | Professional basketball | Playoff MVP | |||
| 1986 | College football | NCAA champion coach | |||
| 1987 | Hockey | Helped handicapped children's school | |||
| Track and field | Helped abused children | ||||
| Track and field | Cared for orphaned children | ||||
| Baseball | Charity spokesman | ||||
| College football | Helped needy children | ||||
| Golf | Helped abused girls | ||||
| Professional basketball | Helped school children | ||||
| Professional football | Helped high school students | ||||
| 1988 | Baseball | World Series Champion, Cy Young Award, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP | |||
| 1989 | Tour de France and World champion | ||||
| 1990 | Professional football | Three-time Super Bowl MVP | |||
| 1991 | Professional basketball | NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Champion | |||
| 1992 | Tennis | Supported humanitarian causes | |||
| 1993 | Professional football | Winningest NFL coach | |||
| 1994 | Double Olympic gold medalist | ||||
| Speed skating | Triple Olympic gold medalist | ||||
| 1995 | Baseball | Consecutive games record | |||
| 1996 | Golf | U.S. Amateur, NCAA champion | |||
| 1997 | College basketball | Winningest college coach at the time of publication | |||
| 1998 | Baseball | Single-season home run record holder at the time of publication | |||
| Baseball | National League MVP | ||||
| 1999 | World Cup champions | ||||
| 2000 | (2) | Golf | Three major championships | ||
| 2001 | Baseball | World Series Co-MVP | |||
| Baseball | World Series Co-MVP, Cy Young Award | ||||
| 2002 | Cycling | Four-time Tour de France winner (wins later disqualified in 2012) | |||
| 2003 | Professional basketball | Two-time NBA champion | |||
| Professional basketball | NBA MVP, NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP | ||||
| 2004 | Baseball | 2004 World Series champions | |||
| 2005 | Professional football | Two-time Super Bowl MVP, Three-time Super Bowl champion | |||
| 2006 | Professional basketball | NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP | |||
| 2007 | Professional football | "For his perseverance and his passion" | |||
| 2008 | Swimming | Eight gold medals in 2008 Summer Olympics | |||
| 2009 | Baseball | World Series Champion | |||
| 2010 | Professional football | Super Bowl MVP and charitable work toward the reconstruction of New Orleans | |||
| 2011 | College basketball | Most wins as coach in NCAA men's Division I history | |||
| College basketball | All-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball | ||||
| 2012 | Professional basketball | NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Champion, Olympic gold medalist | |||
| 2013 | Professional football | Five-Time NFL MVP, single-season touchdown record, AFC Champion | |||
| 2014 | Baseball | World Series Champion, NLCS MVP, World Series MVP | |||
| 2015 | Tennis | Won three majors, oldest player to be ranked no. 1 during the Open Era | |||
| 2016 | (2) | Professional basketball | NBA Finals MVP, led Cleveland Cavaliers to first title in franchise history | ||
| 2017 | Baseball | American League MVP, World Series Champion, Helped lead the Houston Astros to their first ever title and the city's first major championship since 1995. | |||
| Professional football | Raised more than $37 million in relief aid for the city of Houston, Texas less than a month after the impact of Hurricane Harvey. | ||||
| 2018 | Professional basketball | 2018 NBA champions, third title in last four years. | |||
| 2019 | [6] | Soccer | FIFA Women's World Cup champion, won Golden Ball and Golden Boot. | ||
| 2020 | Professional football | Super Bowl LIV champion, sat out the 2020 season to serve as an orderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. | |||
| LeBron James (3) [7] | Professional basketball | NBA Finals MVP, worked to end voter suppression. First three-time winner. | |||
| Professional football | Super Bowl MVP, pushed the NFL to recognize the Black Lives Matter movement, pushed to encourage voter registration across the country, as well as among his teammates | ||||
| Tennis | U.S. Open champion and advocate for social justice. | ||||
| Breanna Stewart | Professional basketball | WNBA Finals MVP, spoke out against racism and for women's equality. | |||
| 2021 | (2) | Professional football | Super Bowl LV MVP, 7-time Super Bowl champion | ||
| 2022 | Professional basketball | NBA Finals MVP, led the Golden State Warriors to their fourth title in eight years. | |||
| 2023 | College football | For revitalizing the Colorado Buffaloes Football program, despite a 4–8 record. |