Simone Biles Honored As Sportsperson Of The Year At Star-Studded Vegas Ceremony

The Sports IllustratedSportsperson of the Year Awards celebrates outstanding achievements in sports, honoring athletes who excelled both on and off the field or court.

The star-studded event featured inspiring speeches, standout moments, and a celebration of excellence, resilience, and impact in the world of sports. This year’s honorees were recognized not just for their performance, but for their contributions to their communities and their ability to inspire a global audience.

The Blast was on site to witness all the memorable moments celebrating some of the best in the sports world, including Simone Biles who was honored for being the 2024 Sportsperson of the Year. The event, held in Las Vegas, was hosted by actor and comedian Keegan Michael-Key, with presenters Grant Hill, Aly Raisman, and others. 

SI's Sportsperson Of The Year Ceremony Took Place In Las Vegas Tuesday Night

The Blast | Melanie VanDerveer

Athletes, stars, and many others turned out for a memorable award ceremony at Wynn Las Vegas, the official home of Sportsperson 2024. Now in its 70th year, the Sportsperson of the Year award honors athletes and trailblazers who have redefined excellence in both sport and culture. 

As one of the most esteemed accolades in sports, it recognizes the athlete or team that embodies the true spirit of sportsmanship through their character and performance. Past recipients of the award include iconic figures like Billie Jean King, Wayne Gretzky, Serena Williams, Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, LeBron James, and Megan Rapinoe, among many others. 

“Bringing Sportsperson to Las Vegas this year signifies the growing confluence between sports, entertainment, and innovation,” Rich Routman, President of Minute Media, operator of Sports Illustrated’s media business, said in a press release. 

“We are committed to continuing to evolve Sportsperson, one of Sports Illustrated’s most time-honored traditions and one of sports’ most prestigious honors, to reflect the ever-changing sports landscape it celebrates.”

Brian Gullbrants, COO North America, Wynn Resorts, added, “We are proud to be the host location for Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and are pleased to share in the moment of honoring these cultural icons.” 

Awards Presented At The Ceremony At Wynn Las Vegas

The Blast | Melanie VanDerveer

The awards presented at this year’s ceremony included Sportsperson of the Year, Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, Innovator of the Year, and Breakout Star.

The Muhammad Ali Legacy Award “honors a sports figure who has used their platform to create lasting impact.”  Muhammad's wife, Lonnie, presented the award to the late NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo, and shared some his moving story.

The Innovator of the Year award is a new award that will celebrate a person or group that’s “shaping the future of sports with cutting-edge success in performance, business, or technology.” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman was named the inaugural Innovator of the Year.

Travis Hunter was honored as 2024’s Breakout Star. The Colorado football star is also the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner.

"I want to thank my family and everybody around the program. And I think I took home seven awards. That's kind of a lot. I didn't envision that," Hunter said as he accepted his award. "This year has been very special. Got more to prove for next year." 

Simone Biles Is Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson Of 2024

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The Sportsperson of the Year award has been one that’s been awarded since 1954. It’s “one of the most prestigious honors in all of sports,” according to a press release from Sports Illustrated. 

11-time Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, 27, was named SI’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year, marking the first Olympian to be recognized for this award since LeBron James in 2012 when he led the U.S. men’s basketball team to gold at the London Games. 

According to Sports Illustrated, “Simone Biles is Sports Illustrated’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year because she won gold, and then another gold, and then another; because she changed the face of her sport and the conversations around athletes in general; because she continues to speak out about issues that matter to her. And perhaps most of all because after she wondered aloud to Chiles whether she was about to relive the darkest period of her career, she took a deep breath, she saluted the judges and she broke into a run.”

Simone Biles Isn't A Fan Of The 'Limelight'

The Blast | Melanie VanDerveer

During her acceptance speech, Biles explained that she isn't a fan of being in the "limelight" but "it tends to happen to me a lot."

"Trust me when I tell you I'd rather be competing on a four-inch beam in front of you guys," she joked. "I'm going to keep it short and sweet. Thank you, Sports Illustrated, for this incredible honor. I'm truly excited to be up here."

Biles explained that she was excited that Aly Raisman was the one who presented the award to her, and that she shares this award with her family and friends.

"People think of gymnastics as an individual sport, but I wouldn't be here without my team," she said after she shouted out her coaches. "To my husband, Jonathan, thank you for being with me through the highs and the lows and always being by my side no matter what."

She also had a message for all the "little ones out there." Biles said, "Stay engaged and stay active because lessons learned through individual or team sports is something you can carry on through the rest of your life. No matter what life may throw at you along your journey, be the best person you can be, follow your passion, and put in the work, and you know that I see the gold within all of you."

Before closing out her speech, she recognized that 2024 "was a big year for women's sports" and said she wanted to remind everyone that "it's not limited to once every four years, so continue to invest and support all women's sports at all levels."

Just before the ceremony while on the red carpet, Biles shared a message for the younger generation of athletes with The Blast.

"Never give up. Whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish it," she said. "Because whenever I started, I just wanted to maybe do college gymnastics and look at where we are now."