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NBA star Kevin Love, World Cup Champion Ali Krieger, volleyball star Gabby Reece and NFL rookie phenomenon Odell Beckham Jr. were among the sports stars at the official BODY at ESPYS pre-party to celebrate the 7th annual Body Issue Tuesday at MILK Studios in Hollywood.
As the athletes swapped their team uniforms — or birthday suits for the 24 athletes who posed nude in the 2015 Body Issue — for designer dresses and suits, TheWrap was on the scene for the red carpet.
Women’s soccer star Krieger (pictured above) was one of the brave stars who stripped off for the annual issue. “I just tried to focus and pretend I was in the locker room around my teammates and just enjoyed it,” she told TheWrap, when asked about posing nude for the magazine. “It was really empowering.”
In honor of the beautiful and valuable physiques on display, we asked the sports stars if they were to insure a body part, what would it be? Naturally needing to kick the ball into the goal, Krieger and teammate Alex Morgan opted for “their legs.”
Krieger also revealed the ESPYS moment she was most excited. “Caitlyn Jenner’s speech is the one thing I am really looking forward to tomorrow, just to hear her speak. I know I’ll get emotional,” she said.
Meanwhile, retired volleyball star Reece — who posed on a surfboard with husband Laird Hamilton for the shoot — now values her mind more than her body. “If I was to insure anything at this stage it would be my brain, I need that more than anything,” the 45-year-old said, adding that she didn’t mind posing nude, but her husband “kept complaining it was cold!”
New York Rangers star Henrik Lundqvist, who came straight from the Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards, said his most valuable asset is his eyes. “So much of what I do is being able to see and focus on the ice,” he said.
Also in attendance at the A-list event were women’s soccer star Abby Wombach, Super Bowl champions Malcolm Butler and Jonas Gray, Antonio Brown, Caroline Wozniascki, Reggie Bush, Victoria Azarenka, Steve Nash, Hope Solo, Lindsey Vonn and NFL player Devon Still, who will be accepting the Jimmy V. Perseverance Award at the ESPYS for his daughter Leah, who is battling cancer.
Britney Spears, Vince Vaughn and Kiefer Sutherland are among the Hollywood stars who have been named as presenters by ESPN for the awards Wednesday. They will be joined by premier athletes LeBron James, JJ Watt, Danica Patrick, Andre Iguodala, Julie Foudy, Chris Long and Richard Sherman.
“Community” star Joel McHale will host this year’s show, which will also honor Caitlyn Jenner with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
Voting for the ESPYS is open now through July 15 at 8 p.m. ET at ESPN.com/ESPYS.
The 2015 ESPYS will be televised live from the Microsoft Theatre (formally Nokia Theatre) on Wednesday, July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
