Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue, scheduled for release next month, will feature nine prominent athletes, including WNBA standout Napheesa Collier and USA Track and Field sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. The feature was photographed at the South Seas Resort in Fort Myers, Fla.

Jefferson-Wooden, 25, enters the feature following a historic stretch on the track. The South Carolina native is a five-time world champion and a two-time Olympic medalist, having secured gold in the 4x100-meter relay and bronze in the individual 100-meter dash at the 2024 Paris Games. In 2025, she became the first American woman to achieve a world championship treble by winning gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100-meter relay in a single year. She is only the second woman in history to accomplish the feat, joining Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Jefferson-Wooden described the accomplishment as a dream come true, noting the long journey required to reach that level of success.

Collier, 29, joins the issue after a season where she was a central figure in the MVP conversation. A five-time WNBA All-Star, Collier led the Minnesota Lynx to the playoff semifinals this past season. Beyond her performance on the court, she has been active as the cofounder of the 3-on-3 professional league, Unrivaled, and serves as a vice president for the WNBPA.

Collier is currently entering her eighth season in the WNBA. The Lynx recently issued her a core qualifying offer, ensuring the franchise maintains exclusive negotiating rights during her free agency. Under the league's newly negotiated collective bargaining agreement, which introduces a revised revenue-sharing system and increased salary caps, the move is expected to result in a one-year supermax deal for Collier valued at approximately $1.4 million.

The new CBA, which Collier helped navigate in her union leadership role, is designed to provide a more sustainable financial future for players across the league. Both athletes now transition from their respective arenas to the pages of the magazine, joining a select group of women recognized for their contributions to professional sports.