Sue Bird Gave a Behind the Scenes Look at the SI Swimsuit Set Experience in St. Thomas

The former Seattle Storm point guard enjoyed the vulnerability of the experience.

Sue Bird was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Antoninias. Earrings by Eklexic. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

If you ask Sue Bird about her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit experience, she would call it a testament to the accomplishments of WNBA players “on and off the court.” She made her debut with the brand back in 2022. That year, she was joined in St. Thomas—where she was photographed by Laretta Houston—alongside four fellow professional basketball players: Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike, Te’a Cooper and DiDi Richards.

“It was such a wonderful expression of women’s empowerment,” Bird said of the experience. “To think of all the other women and their stories, and just really understanding that this is about empowerment and showing the differences between all of us, but that’s a good thing. It’s really special to be a part of something like this.”

These reflections came on the set of her second brand feature, the 2024 Legends photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla. They were the product of two years worth of reflection. But they weren’t her only reactions to the experience, either. While in St. Thomas, the former pro basketball player sat down with the brand for a one-on-one interview, in which she gave a behind the scenes look at the entire experience—from start to finish.

“Being on set is amazing because you kind of walk into this, you don’t really know what to expect, you know you’re going to be in some bathing suits,” she reflected honestly on the photo shoot. “And then you get there and you have an amazing photographer in Laretta [Houston], and then you’ve got the best hype woman of all time in MJ [Day]. I was like, ‘Can I just bring you everywhere with me—my games, to the grocery story, anytime I’m feeling down?’ She just makes you feel so powerful when you’re in front of that camera, and then, of course, she’s super sweet as well.”

For Bird, the best part of the experience was the vulnerability and the guidance. The basketball court was her primary domain—and she was expected to know her way around it. A swimsuit photo shoot? Not so much. So the team was there to walk her through the experience and give her the feedback (and confidence boosts) she needed to make it through.

With Laretta Houston’s skill, Day’s incredible encouragement and Bird’s great attitude, the photo shoot yielded some incredible outtakes. Below are just a few of our favorites from the day.

Sue Bird was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Antoninias. Earrings by Eklexic. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated

Sue Bird was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Thaikila. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrate

Sue Bird was photographed by Laretta Houston in St. Thomas. Swimsuit by Thaikila. / Laretta Houston/Sports Illustrated