Serena Williams Prepares to Honor the 'Best of the Best' at 2024 ESPY Awards (Exclusive)

Serena Williams is ready to honor the best athletes of the year at the 2024 ESPY Awards.

In ET's exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming awards ceremony, the tennis legend previews some of this year's likely honorees -- including the recently crowned NBA champion Boston Celtics, the repeat-Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Dodgers dual threat Shohei Ohtani, WNBA star rookie Caitlin Clark and more.

"The ESPYs are a celebration of excellence," Serena previews in the clip. "Join me as we celebrate the best of the best."

ESPN has shared that New Orleans Pelicans guard C.J. McCollum has been nominated for the 10th annual Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the 2024 ceremony for his work in criminal justice reform and youth programs in New Orleans.

The Chiefs were also a lock for another Best Team nomination this year after winning another ring at Super Bowl LVIII. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also earned a nod for Best Male Athlete.

Last year, teammates Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and Isiah Pacheco spoke with ET backstage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, and shared their feelings about the award.

"Honestly, it makes you want to go and be the Team of the Year next year, man," Kelce told ET. "We have so much fun in Kansas City if you, if you haven't noticed us just enjoying each other's company right here."

"[But] it's such a blessing though," Kelce added with a beaming smile.

The Chiefs earned the Best Team award for their memorable come-from-behind victory against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII. Now, the question is, do the star players like having the proverbial target on their back going into the next season?

"I kind of do, yeah," Mahomes -- who led the team to glory and was named MVP for his efforts -- admitted. "We've been good for a while now, and I think that comes with the brotherhood that we built."

"We like having the target on our back," Mahomes added. "I think we just like going out there and winning together."

The 2024 ESPYs air live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 11, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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