Rose, Keith, Toews nominated for ESPY awards

ESPN announced Wednesday the nominees for its 2015 ESPYS, and three Chicago athletes made the list.

Fans can vote for the winner of each ESPY until July 15, when the awards show will be broadcast live on ABC 7.

<h3 class="leadin">Best Comeback Athlete: Derrick Rose, Bulls</h3>

Rose has undergone three knee surgeries since 2012, his latest being a tear of the medial meniscus in his right knee in February. He rehabilitated and returned to the court on April 8 after missing 20 games, but carried the Bulls into the postseason before they were defeated in the second round by Cleveland.

In voting for the award, Rose goes up against Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who came back from 2013 ACL and MCL tears to help New England to the Super Bowl with his receiving yardage and touchdowns; the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, who is batting .274 so far this season; and skier Lindsay Vonn, who sat out the Sochi Olympics with a partial ACL tear but resumed her prowess on the slopes once she healed.<URL destination="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAIqHc31FS8">

<h3 class="leadin">Best NHL Player: Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks</h3>

Two of the stars most crucial to the Hawks' Stanley Cup championship are pitted against each other in the voting for hockey's best.

Keith won the Conn Smythe trophy - a feat rarely accomplished by a defenseman - after he scored the Cup-clinching goal against the Lightning in Game 6 of the Final, in addition to recording the most assists and fourth-most points in the postseason. Toews captained the team on its way to a third Cup in six years, notching 10 goals and 11 assists in the playoffs.

The other three nominees for this ESPY are Washington's Alexander Ovechkin, who led the league in goals with 53; the NHL's top goalkeeper in Carey Price of Montreal; and the Islanders' John Tavares, who finished the season second in points and fourth in goals scored.