Breanna Stewart Defines Beauty in Refreshingly Unique Way on SI Swimsuit Set

The New York Liberty star says our differences are what make us beautiful.

Breanna Stewart was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

There’s no denying it, Breanna Stewart is tall—noticeably so. She would tell you that herself. It’s “the first thing people notice about me,” she said on the set of her SI Swimsuit photo shoot in 2022. These days, that fact doesn’t bother her. But there was a time when it might have made her a touch self-conscious.

Already over 6' 0" in high school, Stewart had a hard time finding clothes that fit her well. Long-sleeved shirts would hit her arm at a three-quarter length. These days, we know finding clothing that fits isn’t the same problem it once was. The New York Liberty star has proven that again and again with her excellent pre-game fashion.

These days, we also know that the 30-year-old doesn’t contend with the same feelings of self-consciousness about her height—or anything else for that matter. On the contrary, she has taken to embracing it. Her height makes her different, but that doesn’t bother her. After all, as Stewart herself put it on the set of her St. Thomas photo shoot, “Being different doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”

Of course, it took the athlete some time to come to that realization—but now that she has, Stewart has likewise allowed it to inform her idea of beauty.

These days, Stewart considers beauty “being comfortable in your own skin, being confident and lov[ing] your body for all your differences,” she remarked. In other words, she now considers differences—and embracing those differences—integral to beauty. “In this world, there’s so many things that make us all different,” she said. “There’s only one of me. I'm one of one and just loving every aspect of that.”

We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. Each one of us boasts unique qualities and characteristics, and our beauty is in those unique qualities and characteristics.

On set in St. Thomas, Stewart did much more than just offer her inspiring thoughts on beauty. It was her first photo shoot with the brand, and she took advantage of it accordingly. Dressed in a series of stark black swimsuits, she posed in front of the idyllic tropical backdrop and showed her strength—and the unique qualities that make her beautiful.

Combined with her sit-down interview, the snapshots made the trip more than worthwhile. A couple years later, we’re still not over her strong message and her photos. Here are a few of the snaps that we still have on our minds.

Breanna Stewart was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by lovewave. Earrings by Eklexic / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrate

Breanna Stewart was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by lovewave. Earrings by Eklexic / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

Breanna Stewart was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Riot Swim. Earrings and bracelets by Martha Calvo. Bracelets and ring by SOKO. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated