Sophie Cunningham Stuns in Black One-Piece from SI Swimsuit Shoot

Thirty-year-old Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham posted a black one-piece swimsuit image from her May 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition shoot — taken at the South Seas Resort on Captiva Island, Florida — and ignited a wave of engagement across social media.

Swimsuit Debut and Beach Setting

Cunningham sat barefoot on the sand with knees bent and leaned slightly forward, hands resting on one ankle. She looked directly into the camera with parted lips and a confident gaze. Her long blonde hair fell in soft, slightly damp beach waves; she wore minimal makeup and no accessories.

A rightward swipe revealed her in the red Indiana Fever uniform with a white long-sleeved top underneath. The third slide featured a close-up portrait highlighting her blue eyes. The carousel concluded with another basketball-themed image.

She shared the set on July 3, ahead of Fourth of July celebrations, captioning it: “Living the American dream in the USA.”

Fan Reaction and Social Media Response

The post drew enthusiastic responses from her 4.1 million Instagram followers. One commenter wrote, “We’re finally making the right kind of person famous.” Another praised, “The attitude, the character, the strength, the beauty, the funny, the eyes…. specially the eyes.” A third declared Cunningham “wins the internet,” while a fourth stated, “The most beautiful eyes and body I’ve ever seen.”

Background and Professional Profile

Cunningham was selected 13th overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2019 WNBA draft and traded to the Indiana Fever last year. In the most recent season, she made 43.2 percent of her three-point attempts. She also serves as a studio analyst and contributor to USA Network’s WNBA broadcasts.

Topless Shots and SI Swimsuit Context

During the same Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoot, Cunningham posed kneeling on the sand wearing only white bikini bottoms, using her long golden hair to cover her upper body. In another frame, she appeared front-facing without a top, her chest obscured by her arm.

Reflections on the SI Experience

On the April 20 episode of “Show Me Something,” Cunningham spoke with West Wilson about the shoot. “It really was so fun,” she said. “You just feel so empowered, and something I really do love about it is like, they choose … different body sizes, shapes and sizes, different ethnicities, like they just like empower all types of women and it really was like frickin’ awesome. It was awesome.”

She added: “When you think of Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit], you think of like hot girls and sun …. and warm weather, you know? And I actually shot, I think it was like 32 degree weather down in Florida and it was like the hurricanes, there was like a tropical storm … like I was out there in barely anything and everyone else was in parkas, sweaters, hats, hand warmers, Uggs, and then I’m just out there doing my thing.”

• Sophie Cunningham recently made headlines for her comments about trans-athletes in women’s sports.
• The issue sparked conversations across the world, and it made WNBA choose their stance on the matter.
• Fans have pressured Cunningham’s teammate Caitlin Clark to issue a statement.
• ‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling weighed in on the harsh comments Cunningham has gotten over her trans-athlete statement.
• With the issue in full bloom, Cunningham is rumored to be “released” by the Fever at the end of the season.