Napheesa Collier, Sophie Cunningham In Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

The latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition has been unveiled, and some of the most elite women in sports confidently stripped down to get photographed by Katherine Goguen on Captiva Island, off the coast of Fort Myers, Florida.

Leading the charge is Napheesa Collier, the five-time WNBA All-Star who plays for the Minnesota Lynx.

She’s also business-minded and started up her own league, Unrivaled, with the help of fellow star Breanna Stewart to capitalize on the growing popularity of women’s basketball in a way that benefits the players.

“You’re missing time with your family. You’re missing being in your home country,” she explains of the new league. “We were one of the first leagues to give equity to the players, which—in a time when women’s sports are exploding—the women in the sports should be benefiting, as well,” Collier told SI Swimsuit on set. “We wanted to make sure that that was a huge sticking point for us. Salaries have to be competitive, and we want everyone to have equity. We’re just trying to change what it means to be a women’s athlete. How they’re treated, how they’re compensated, the entire experience …”

Unfortunately, she was unable to participate in the league’s inaugural season after having surgery on both ankles, but refused to let injuries prevent her from fulfilling her SI Swimsuit dreams.

“I mean, SI Swimsuit is just so iconic. It’s something that I always love looking at. Something that, as soon as I found that I had this opportunity, I’d been looking forward to. So I was going to get here no matter what,” the athlete told the magazine. “This is something I always wanted to do. I love SI Swimsuit … I just think it’s so beautiful, so empowering. I love seeing the women on it. This has always been a huge goal of mine.”

Showing off her two-time Olympian tattoo, Collier rocked a white one-piece, a metal-adorned black one, and also rocked a two-piece as she stared off into the distance while lounging on the beach.

Speaking of the Olympics, Team USA’s sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden was also honored with her own spread where she wore a black and white bikini with cutouts, and a white one-piece showing off her abs.

Off the track, she’s a self-described avid gamer with a love for Twitch streaming and hopping on the sticks to play Call of Duty. She took to Instagram to also express how much she enjoyed posing for SI.

The one thing I’ve learned about my journey, is to never put my limitations on myself or allow anyone’s opinion of what I do and don’t deserve dictate what I do,” she wrote. “Never in a million years did I think I’d have an opportunity to be featured in @si_swimsuit , yet here I stand 🥹. Special thank you to the SI team for creating a space for me to feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful throughout the whole shoot , even wrapping me in blankets and towels because it was so cold 🤣🫶🏾 Thank you to my village (my team) for supporting me every step of the way 💗, your belief in me will always be my driving force to be the best I can be at whatever I do 🤞🏽.”

Sophie Cunningham, who also helped usher in a new era of excitement for the league, was on hand for the shoot, calling the opportunity “probably one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done.”

Other stars who posed for SI’s 2026 issue include Tiffany Haddish, Alix Earle, Hilary Duff, Olandria, and Nicole Williams English.

Get a better look at the shoot and the internet’s reactions below.