Stanford legend Cameron Brink to be featured in 2025 SI Swimsuit issue

A legend in women's basketball, Brink will join some of the biggest names in women's sports today.

Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink (22) yells in excitement Tuesday, May 28, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Indiana Fever, 88-82. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

It will be a big year for former Stanford star Cameron Brink after all. On Tuesday, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, was announced as one of the athletes set to make their debut in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Brink, who will make her SI debut along with athletes such as Gabby Thomas, Suni Lee, Eileen Gu and Nelly Korda among others, was selected as she is one of the biggest rising stars in her sport. Despite her rookie season being cut short due to suffering a torn ACL which required season-ending surgery in June, Brink showed immense promise during her first campaign for the Los Angeles Sparks, averaging 7.5 points per game, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists through 15 games. She also had 35 blocks, which was the second most in the entire league before she went down with her injury.

MJ Day, the SI Swimsuit Editor in Chief, expressed excitement at next year’s slate of female athletes set to appear in the magazine and believes that each one of them represents the true meaning of inspiration and gives a whole new generation of young female athletes figures to look up to.

“This remarkable group, featuring Olympic medalists, world champions, and record holders, embodies the next generation of all-stars poised to transform the world of sports,” Day said when the topic of who next year’s athletes would be was talked about. “They defy stereotypes and champion equality, inspiring young girls to envision themselves as both athletes and leaders. At SI Swimsuit, we’ve always celebrated the future of women, and there’s no better way to honor these remarkable achievements than by featuring them on the pages of our issue.” 

Expected to make a recovery in time for the 2025 season, Brink will be relied on to become the cornerstone for a franchise that not only finished with the WNBA’s worst record at 8-32, but that also have the highest odds to win the WNBA Draft Lottery and get the first pick in the 2025 draft, where they will look for another young star to pair with her. Firing head coach Curt Miller in September, the Sparks will look to find a new leader in the coming weeks so that they can fully begin preparing for next season.

Brink enjoyed a dominant career at Stanford, where she played from 2020-2024, not only being the centerpiece on the team that won the 2021 National Championship, but also earned recognition such as being named unanimous All-American honors, winning two Pac-12 Player of the Year Awards, three Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Awards, among others. In her final college campaign, she averaged 17.4 points per game, 11.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

An icon in women’s basketball, Brink has been an inspiration and a role model for many young athletes and with the opportunity to be in such an iconic edition of the Sports Illustrated magazine, it further validates the impact that Brink has on the world of women’s sports.