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LeBron James, Miami Heat Win Big At ESPY Awards

The Miami Heat and LeBron James won big at the 2012 ESPY Awards with victories in the night's biggest categories, including best team and male athlete of the year.

By Adam Stites
July 11, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA forward LeBron James during practice at the UNLV Mendenhall Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE
July 11, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA forward LeBron James during practice at the UNLV Mendenhall Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Despite not being there to see it or accept the awards, no one had a bigger night at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, CA than LeBron James of the Miami Heat. With wins in the male athlete of the year, best championship performance and best NBA player categories, James stole the show on Wednesday night while in Las Vegas training for the 2012 Olympics with the rest of the U.S. national team.

The Miami Heat were also big winners for the night winning the title of best team, for which Juwan Howard and Mike Miller accepted the award. The Heat earned the award over the New York Giants, Kentucky Wildcats (men's basketball), St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Kings, Alabama Crimson Tide (football) and Baylor Bears (women's basketball).

James was one of four nominees for the the male athlete of the year award, beside Justin Verlander, Novak Djokovic and Aaron Rodgers.

For more on the Heat and the 2012 offseason, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. Get news and updates from around the league at SB Nation's NBA hub.

Photographs by cstreet.us, thelastminute, turtlemom nancy , fesek, kthypryn, justinwright, sue_elias, pointnshoot, and scrapstothefuture used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.