Breanna Stewart Sent Strong Message to Younger Generation During SI Swimsuit Feature

The pro basketball player is hard at work to make the sporting world more hospitable to the future players.

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

In recent years, a significant shift has been taking place in and around the world of women’s professional sports. Leagues are starting to gain more traction with fans, players are receiving more media attention and viewership numbers are increasing. This past year alone, women’s sporting events like the Paris Olympics gymnastics team final and the WNBA Draft achieved important feats where viewership was concerned.

The shift has been coming on gradually, but has accelerated significantly this past year thanks, in part, to a few star athletes in particular. There are, of course, the new faces bringing a lot of attention, such as WNBA stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink. But there are also several veterans whose efforts to bring greater attention to women’s sports are finally bearing fruit. That group includes stars like Alex Morgan, Serena Williams, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Nneka Ogwumike and Breanna Stewart, among others.

It’s the latter athlete whom we have come here to discuss today. Stewart is the perfect example of a female athlete who has been working toward the goal of greater equality for her fellow professional players (in the WNBA and beyond) for years. Even back in 2022, the movement was on her mind.

That year, she traveled to St. Thomas for her SI Swimsuit photo shoot. While on location, the athlete took the opportunity to share an encouraging message for the younger generation, and one that spoke to her larger goals for the sports world, too. “Continue to work hard, continue to follow your dreams,” she said on set. “Women are doing something extremely special right now for your generation, so that you can continue to build on it and be the best you can be.”

The New York Liberty forward is one of those very women who is working hard to make the world of professional sports more hospitable to the next generation of female athletes. It has been a part of her mission all along—and she hasn’t let up in the face of recent success, either. She is still working to make things just that much better.

Stewart truly is an inspiration in every sense of the word. On set, she made as much known through both her words and her skill in front of the camera. She posed for some beautiful photos that year. Below are just a few of our favorite images, captured by Laretta Houston.

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 Suki Cohen. Earrings by Eklexic. Bracelets by Martha Calvo. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

Breanna Stewart was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Versace. Sunglasses by Chanel x Pharrell. Earrings by Eklexic. Bracelets by Martha Calvo. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated