The 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue will feature nine models, including WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Sophie Cunningham, along with USA Track and Field sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
The annual SI Swimsuit issue, set for release next month, features the three athletes in various swimsuits photographed at South Seas Resort in Fort Myers, Florida. So far, only the three professional athletes have been announced, a stark contrast to last year’s issue, which featured 10 athletes, including Suni Lee, Eileen Gu and Hailey Van Lith.
“Elite x3,” Sports Illustrated wrote in a caption on an Instagram video. “SI Swimsuit 2026 Athlete Shoot. They don’t just compete, they dominate. Games, races, bikinis – you name it.”
Cunningham, a current free agent who recently announced she will join USA Network as a WNBA contributor this season, told Sports Illustrated that being a part of the iconic issue is among the most empowering experiences of her life.
“I truly do think, like, go kick a– out on the court, and then go kick a– out in the real world being a woman who is strong, who is powerful and who has a mindset that she can do anything,” Cunningham said to Sports Illustrated.
More: Sophie Cunningham joins USA Network as WNBA contributor, studio analyst
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sophie Cunningham, Napheesa Collier featured in SI Swimsuit Issue
