June 24--Derrick Rose returned to All-Star form during the Bulls' playoffs run after suffering a third knee injury in the regular season. All Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith did was win their third Stanley Cup in six seasons. Their accomplishments garnered ESPY award nominations for all three Chicago athletes on Wednesday.
They join a list of nominees that include Aaron Rodgers, Mo'ne Davis, Ronda Rousey and American Pharaoh.
Voting on espys.com began Wednesday and will close just before the live awards show at 7 p.m. July 15 on ABC-7. Comedian Joel McHale hosts.
Rose has been nominated for best comeback athlete, a category that includes athletes who have bounced back from injury (Rob Gronkowski, Lindsey Vonn) or infamy (Alex Rodriguez).
A knee injury in February (his third since 2012) threatened to derail Rose's season--again. But he returned for the last five games of the regular season, then he averaged 20.3 points and nearly 38 minutes per game in 12 playoff games. He also hit a buzzer-beater against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Toews and Keith will compete against each other for best NHL player, as well as fellow nominees Alexander Ovechkin, Carey Prince and John Tavares. Keith won the Conne Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, and Toews had 10 goals and 11 assists in the playoffs.
