Swimsuit

8 Powerful Photos of the Stunning WNBA Free Agent Te’a Cooper in St. Thomas

The athlete brought her A game to the Caribbean island.

Martha Zaytoun

Te’a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas.

St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands was the beautiful backdrop of the WNBA player feature in the 2022 SI Swimsuit Issue. Last year, five players headed to the tropical destination for their debuts in the annual magazine. Among them was Te’a Cooper, a WNBA free agent and former point guard for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Since the opportunity to pose for swimsuit photos was not something Cooper was accustomed to, she was surprised by the outreach from SI Swimsuit. “When I got the call, I initially [thought], ‘Did they call the right person?’” she joked on set.

But after the initial shock, the professional athlete was completely on board. “I’m there,” she said of her immediate willingness “I can’t wait to try it. I was super excited.”

On a trip with five fellow WNBA players, Cooper was among friends and former and current teammates. Because of the familiar atmosphere, “It kind of felt like I was getting ready for a game,” she said of the experience. “It was really comfortable. I was super excited to just be with them and see them be out of their element, too.”

Though she was certainly out of her element, she was also comfortable thanks, in part, to the encouragement of editor in chief MJ Day and photographer Laretta Houston. “They are so empowering,” she said of the pair. “They just really make you comfortable in your own skin.”

Cooper certainly looked comfortable—and stunning—in the photos from the star-studded photoshoot. Here are eight fabulous images from the WNBA player’s trip to St. Thomas.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Bodysuit by Goldsign. Necklace by Made by Mary. Bracelet and ring by SOKO.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Joues de Sable. Earrings by Martha Calvo.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Versace. Earrings, necklace and bracelet by Martha Calvo.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Blackbough Swim. Earrings and bracelets by Martha Calvo.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Joues de Sable. Earrings by Martha Calvo.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Joues de Sable. Earrings by Martha Calvo.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Joues de Sable. Earrings by Martha Calvo.

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Te'a Cooper was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Versace. Earrings, necklace and bracelet by Martha Calvo.

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Martha Zaytoun

MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a Lifestyle & Trending News writer for SI Swimsuit. Before joining the team, Martha worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Martha loves to watercolor and oil paint, run or water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.