The ESPYS Presented in Ceremony Wednesday Evening

By ESPN

Turner Sports reporter Craig Sager received the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at The ESPYS on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Sager, effusive in his thanks and expression of gratitude to his family, friends, colleagues and ESPN, took the stage at the Microsoft Theater after a video narrative and tribute that brought him to tears in the audience.

"You try to live a lifetime of moments in three weeks, but then you say, 'The hell with three weeks!' " Sager said, referring to the aftermath of his diagnosis.

Vice President Joe Biden presented the award, calling Sager "a man of courage and loyalty with a hell of a team behind him."

"To everybody out there, we are making progress -- incredible progress," Sager said "... We are going to find a cure for cancer. But we need your help."

During a commercial break, TNT colleagues Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Ernie Johnson joined Sager and Biden on stage for a photo.

Sager, 64, has continued to work as he faces a recurrence of the leukemia he has been battling for the past few years.

"I will continue to keep fighting, sucking the marrow out of life as life sucks the marrow out of me," Sager said.

Sager missed 11 months while undergoing treatment for leukemia and a bone marrow transplant from his son before returning to his position on the sideline during TNT's NBA coverage in March 2015. But he revealed in an interview with HBO in April that his cancer was no longer in remission.

The Jimmy V Award is given to someone in sports who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination. It is named for Valvano, the NCAA-winning coach who gave an emotional acceptance speech at the 1993 ESPYS that included his famous words "Don't Give Up ... Don't Ever Give Up!" He died of cancer later that year.

The NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers kept their winning streak alive by picking up several awards at the 2016 ESPYS.

LeBron James was named the best male athlete, the best NBA player and also was awarded the ESPY for best championship performance for helping to navigate the Cavaliers to the franchise's first title.

One year after losing in six games to the Golden State Warriors in the 2014-15 Finals, James led the Cavaliers to an unprecedented comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against those same Warriors, as Cleveland ended the city's 52-year championship drought. In doing so, James became the first player to lead a full playoff series in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

His efforts won him a unanimous Finals MVP, too.

The Cavs were also named the best team and, after already making a few appearances front and center at Wednesday's show, James ceded the floor to teammates J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye, who each made sure to thank the city for its support.

James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love also accepted the award for best moment after making Cleveland a championship city for the first time in over 50 years.

Though the Cavs cleaned up at the ESPYS, the first award of the night went to a man who was on the other side of Cleveland's NBA Finals victory.

Warriors star Stephen Curry won the award for best record-breaking performance.

Curry, the reigning two-time NBA MVP, broke his own record for most made 3-pointers in a season as the Warriors went on to win an NBA-record 73 regular-season games.

In an evening full of recognition for today's sports heroes, the ESPYS also honored three players that elected to call it a career this season.

Recently retired Peyton Manning, Kobe Bryant and Abby Wambach were honored with the Icon Award, which was presented by Justin Timberlake.

While those three luminaries have put their playing days behind them, Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Eric Berry was honored as the comeback player of the year for battling cancer and returning to the NFL.

Former UConn star and current Seattle Storm center Brenna Stewart took home the ESPY for best female athlete against competition from fellow WNBA player Elena Delle Donne, swimmer Katie Ledecky and gymnast Simone Biles. Stewart led the Huskies to a record fourth straight NCAA title while claiming her fourth straight NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player award.

Chicago Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta took home best breakthrough performance honors, edging MMA star Conor McGregor, three-time gold-medal-winning snowboarder Chloe Kim and NBA Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns.

The best play of the year was given to the Green Bay duo of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and tight end Richard Rodgers for their game-winning, 61-yard Hail Mary touchdown that lifted the Packers over the Detroit Lions this past season.

U.S. Army Sgt. Elizabeth Marks was the recipient of this year's Pat Tillman Award for Service.

Marks overcame a devastating injury in Iraq and lung disease to become a world-class paraswimmer.

The family of Zaevion Dobson accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in his honor.

The 15-year-old Tennessee native and high school football player was shot and killed while trying to protect girls from gunfire.