A new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue behind-the-scenes video features WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Sophie Cunningham, along with American sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
Collier, Cunningham and Jefferson-Wooden are just the latest professional athletes to appear in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. So far, they are the only three athletes announced for this year’s issue. Last year, the swimsuit issue featured 10 athletes, including Suni Lee, Nelly Korda, Jordan Chiles, Gabby Thomas, Eileen Gu, and Hailey Van Lith.
“Elite x3,” Sports Illustrated wrote on Instagram alongside the behind-the-scenes video. “SI Swimsuit 2026 Athlete Shoot. They don’t just compete, they dominate. Games, races, bikinis – you name it.”
The star athletes discussed posing for the SI Swimsuit issue
Sports Illustrated captured the three athletes in the Fort Myers, Florida, area for their swimsuit issue debuts. Photographer Katherine Goguen shot the images of Collier, Cunningham and Jefferson-Wooden at South Seas Resort, a 330-acre island resort and wildlife preserve on Captiva Island. In addition to the video, Sports Illustrated also recently shared a sampling of the athletes’ photo shoot, along with a brief bio of each star, on its website.
“This is probably one of the most empowering things that I’ve done – ever,” Cunningham said. “I truly think, 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 has the mindset that she can do anything. … This is what SI is all about, empowering the female body, so that’s what we’re doing.”
“We show what it is to sacrifice, what is it to work hard [and] to achieve your dream,” Collier said.
Jefferson-Wooden added, “You can be beautiful but you can also be strong.”