Stars Prefer Style and Class at the ESPY Awards

Tennis star Maria Sharapova dazzled on the red carpet with this dress. Photo: Dennis J. Freeman
Tennis star Maria Sharapova dazzled on the red carpet with this dress. Photo: Dennis J. Freeman

LOS ANGELES-Style was certainly in at the 2013 ESPY Awards.  Fore sure, there were a lot of fashion cops manning the red carpet out in front of Staples Center and L.A. Live as the parade of glamour and the not so glamorous made their stroll in front of the many cameras snapping up shots about as fast as a whirlwind derby.

Some of the celebrities and athletes walking down the red carpet before entering the Nokia Theatre, seem to make a fashion statement. Others kept it conservative, preferring simplicity over trying to wow folks with their wardrobe. One of the loudest statements made were those instituting the color red with their clothing attire.

No one captured that better than NBA superstar LeBron James.

Certainly the man of the hour with three individual ESPY Awards (Best Male Athlete, Best NBA Player, Best Championship Performance), James made as grand an entrance as anyone, showing up on the red carpet with fiance Savannah Brinson in a hot-off-the wire, stunning red tuxedo coat.

There are not too many people who can make that work, but James pulled it off just as easily as winning his fourth NBA most valuable player award.

Colin Kaepernick (right) stand out in his red blazer. Photo: Dennis J. Freeman
Colin Kaepernick (right) stand out in his red blazer. Photo: Dennis J. Freeman

James wasn’t the only star looking hot in red. Not to be outdone, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who collected the ESPY Award for Breakthrough Athlete, also hit the red carpet donning red coat threads. Donning dark shades, Kaepernick carried the same swagger on the  carpet as he does on the football field.

The extraordinary Robin Roberts, who have had to battle cancer in recent years, looked dazzling in her red dress. Roberts, who was honored with the Author Ashe Courage Award, let her vitality of life shine on the red carpet. The brilliant television sports and news broadcaster radiated with glow as she flashed her award-winning smile for photographers.

Red was also the running theme for Selena Gomez and Access Hollywood correspondent and weekend anchor Shaun Robinson. Gomez, the former star of Wizards of Waverly Place, decided to go short and cute on the evening, showing up in a short red dress and black pumps, giving photographers a reason to elbow for room to get the right angle shot of the television star.

Robinson, of course, lit up the red carpet with her flawless beauty and engaging smile to go along with her equally inviting red dress cut at the right length to show off her beautifully-tanned legs. Win McMurray, the lady friend riding the arms of Michael Phelps at the ESPYs, made red work for as well in a classic strapless dress, stealing some thunder from the Olympic icon.

Looking good, however, wasn’t limited to wearing red.  Former WNBA star Lisa Leslie looked like an Ebony goddess in her amazing, full-length white dress. The tight-fitted dress to go along with her statute beauty gave Leslie a regal and defined look. The show stealer, at least in this writer’s opinion, was tennis ace Maria Sharapova.

You talk about burning up the red carpet, Sharapova set it on fire with a dress that caught the attention of everyone-from camera guys to fellow athletes and celebrities. The red carpet at the ESPY Awards was Sharapova’s world, and she knew it, basking the glow of making every photographer’s dream.

Access Hollywood reporter and correspondent Shaun Robinson on the red carpet. Photo: Dennis J. Freeman
Access Hollywood reporter and correspondent Shaun Robinson on the red carpet. Photo: Dennis J. Freeman

Currently ranked No.2 in the world, the Russian beauty gave everyone a reason to pause on the carpet before making her way to become an evening awards presenter. There were plenty of other show-stoppers. Lolo Jones sparkled in a bright yellow dress. Laila Ali came through in true championship boxing form, wowing folks in a full-length blue dress as she walked the red carpet with her husband, former NFL star Curtis Conway.

Actress Paula Patton, wife to R&B crooner Robin Thicke, got cameras clicking. Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade and actress Gabrielle Union also set the red carpet abuzz with their presence together. There were a lot of celebration and hand-clapping going on inside as the awards show got underway. But the real fireworks kicked off on the red carpet.

Athletes like Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks), Marcedes Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars), Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) and Terrell Suggs (Baltimore Ravens) played it safe and sound with the suit approach. The more splashier style points went on the women’s side. There were no losers on this night. In their own way, everyone on the red carpet picked up a trophy.


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