The inaugural award , made at the 1993 ESPY Awards , was presented to the American college basketball player , coach , and broadcaster Jim Valvano . In 1993 , ESPN partnered with Valvano to create the V Foundation which presents the annual Jimmy V Award to " a deserving member of the sporting world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination . " Suffering from cancer , Valvano gave the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award acceptance speech which " brought a howling , teary-eyed Madison Square Garden to its feet " . Valvano died two months after receiving the award . Although the award is usually given to individuals , it has been presented to multiple recipients on seven occasions : former athletes on United Airlines Flight 93 ( 2002 ) , Pat and Kevin Tillman ( 2003 ) , Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and Jim MacLaren ( 2005 ) , Roia Ahmad and Shamila Kohestani ( 2006 ) , Trevor Ringland and David Cullen ( 2007 ) , and Tommie Smith , John Carlos ( 2008 ) , and survivors of the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal ( 2018 ) . The accolade has been presented posthumously on five occasions
United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93
Arthur Ashe Courage Award