ESPY Awards 2024: Serena Williams roasts Harrison Butker, Steve Gleason receives standing ovation

Absolutely bizarre.

The ESPYs were being broadcasted on ABC, but many viewers reported around 11:30 p.m. ET that the end of the show got cut off. Keep in mind the whole thing started airing a half-hour late (on a tape delay) due to President Joe Biden's news conference ending late. What a mess.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist overcame the "twisties" and returned to competition last year. She has since won four world championship titles and a full sweep of this year's U.S. championships. Next stop: Paris.

The Golden Globe winner pledged no shortage of work in the Los Angeles area and ended it with “That’s when you know a team is run by women.”

The Maui surfing community accepts the honor after aiding the recovery from he 2023 wildfire that ravaged Lahaina, with their leader urging viewers to take climate change more seriously.

Andy Reid is accepting the award on the three-time Super Bowl champion's behalf. Mahomes beat out Shohei Ohtani, Connor McDavid and Scottie Scheffler.

Sure, why not.

Former NFL safety Steve Gleason has become one of the faces of ALS after being diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder in 2011. Doctors initially thought he only had a few years to live, but he's still here, living life in a wheelchair with the support of his wife, children and other caregivers.

ESPN named him the winner of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and he received a standing ovation as he took the stage with his son, with a tear visibly running down his face as his speech began. The ESPYs always try to deliver moments with meaning beyond sports, and that was their best of the night.

Cooper Flagg won the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year. Flagg, the national high school player of the year at Montverde Academy (Florida), will play college basketball at Duke.

Read more on Flagg from Yahoo Sports' Krysten Peek.

Best Female Player of the Year honors went to Ventura High (California) track star Sadie Engelhardt, who will continue her career at North Carolina State.

Former Alabama stars Mark Ingram II and Bryce Young present Nick Saban with the Icon Award for his legendary career coaching the Crimson Tide.

Saban won an astounding seven national championships during his 17 years at Alabama, compiling a record of 206–29. No coach has won more national titles in college football.

The Williams sisters got on stage with "Abbott Elementary" star Quinta Brunson about how to enjoy women's sports and they... had some things to talk about.

That included them saying "Never use the B-word ... you know who you are," a likely dig at ESPN's Pat McAfee, who apologized for calling Caitlin Clark a "white b**** from Indiana." Then Serena ended it by responding to Venus' urge for people to enjoy women's sports by saying "Except for you Harrison Butker, we don’t need you."

There was also Serena saying "LeBron wants to win a title with his son on his team I won with my daughter, in my belly. I think we know which one is more impressive.”

LSU basketball player Flau'Jae Johnson performed for her fellow athletes, and had a moment with Lil Wayne.

Stuart Scott's daughters Sydni and Taelor, along with "Abbott Elementary" star Quinta Brunson presented this year's Jimmy V Award for Perseverance to South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley.

Staley, a three-time NCAA championship coach, was honored for “her leadership in the fight against cancer," becoming a major advocate for cancer research when her sister, Tracey Underwood, and former assistant Nikki McCray-Penson were diagnosed with cancer.

Underwood received a life-saving bone marrow transplant from their brother, Lawrence, which inspired Staley to raise awareness for patient care, research and resources.

Women's basketball legend Candace Parker and USA track star Allyson Felix presented the ESPY for Best Athlete, Women's Sports to Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson.

Wilson, a two-time WNBA MVP, currently leads the league in scoring, averaging 26.9 points per game. Last season, she averaged 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, leading the Aces to their second consecutive WNBA championship.

Teammate Sydney Colson posted a video to social media of the Aces celebrating Wilson's win.

Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service for his work with the Invictus Games, an event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women (serving and veterans).

Prince Harry paid tribute to Tillman's mother, Mary, in his acceptance speech.

"Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect," he said, via the New York Post. "The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses."

The award was presented by three previous Tillman Award winners who also competed in the Invictus Games.

Halle Bailey and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson presented the ESPY for Best Championship Performance to Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.

Brown brought the Larry O'Brien championship trophy with him to the ceremony.

In the five-game NBA Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks, Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and five assists.

Is an ESPY award consolation for not being named to the USA Olympic men's basketball team in favor of teammate Derrick White? If asked, that question should get quite a response.

Glorilla and Draymond Green (representing Michigan State's green and white with his tuxedo) presented the ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete to USC guard JuJu Watkins.

Watkins averaged 27.1 points per game in her freshman season, in addition to 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks.

Viewers looking to tune in for the ESPYs were greeted with ABC News coverage of a President Biden press conference from the NATO Summit.

The ABC telecast was delayed for 30 minutes while the press conference and brief commentary afterward was on the air.

However, ABC is broadcasting the ESPYs broadcast in full, as of 8:33 p.m. ET. The show was delayed as the press conference occurred.

Jaylen Brown just gave a very unenthusiastic "no comment" to Cam Newton on why he's not with the U.S. Olympic team. He's been openly unhappy about getting snubbed from the U.S. Olympic team.

Shockingly, Caitlin Clark has won best college athlete in women's sports.

And, of course, the host is here.

We're still nearly an hour from the start of the ESPYs, but ESPN has already announced some smaller awards:

Shohei Ohtani, MLB Player of the Year

A'ja Wilson, WNBA Player of the Year

Luka Doncic, NBA Player of the Year