Sophie Cunningham is making her SI Swimsuit debut in the 2026 issue, photographed by Katherine Goguen on Captiva Island off the coast of Fort Myers, Fla. Napheesa Collier and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden were featured alongside her in the shoot, putting three standout athletes in the same frame for a project that leans into the look and language of strength.
Cunningham, a WNBA player, podcast host and analyst, was selected with the 13th overall pick by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2019 WNBA draft before being traded to the Indiana Fever in 2025. She arrives in the magazine after a season in which she made 43.2 percent of her treys, a sharp shooting mark that helped define her on-court value.
The style team behind the shoot said its approach was meant to celebrate the female form, using clean, sculptural silhouettes and sleek, strong lines. That framing gives the feature a more athletic edge than a typical swimsuit spread, and it matches the broader public image Cunningham has built as she moves between basketball, podcasting and analysis.
The timing also matters because Cunningham will serve as a studio analyst and contributor to USA Network’s WNBA broadcasts throughout the season. The magazine feature extends her visibility beyond the court and into a larger media role, while Collier’s presence in the same issue adds another top name from the league to a project built around athletes rather than models.
For Cunningham, the 2026 feature marks a new lane at a moment when her profile is already widening. The shoot makes the point plainly: she is no longer just a shooter or a trade-deadline name, but a player whose reach now runs from the arena to the studio and, now, to one of the most recognizable sports features of the year.
