Jasmine Sanders Covers Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue

Source: Alexander Tamargo / Getty

Congratulations are in order for one of our faves, Golden Barbie!!! Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue revealed today that Jasmine Sanders will share the cover with Kate Bock and Olivia Culpo.

It has been a long, long wait, but the time has finally come. @katebock, @goldenbarbie and @oliviaculpo are your SI Swimsuit 2020 cover models. The trio were photographed by @yutsai88 in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Bali, Indonesia, back in November. Did we mention the best part? Not only are we giving you one cover showcasing these extraordinary and empowering women together, but we also have three additional covers, one of each model individually. This marks a first for the brand: three powerful women. Four incredible covers. One groundbreaking issue.

“These three women who make up the 2020 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue are inherently unique but a solidarity exists among them in terms of their ambitions, goals and what they stand for,” says SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief @mj_day.

#SISwim2020 is on newsstands and online Tuesday, July 21st!

For people who are already questioning how the women were standing (unmasked) so closely together during the era of COVID, it turns out the issue was shot prior to quarantine. According to TMZ reports the ladies finished their final shoot in Bali on March 5, about a week and a half before Los Angeles declared a state of emergency, sending most residents into lockdown.

Here’s Jasmine’s solo cover image:

@goldenbarbie is no stranger to the world of modeling, having started her career at the age of 14. Jasmine Sanders made a splash last year in her first appearance in SI Swim, winning Rookie of the Year for her shoot in Costa Rica. She’s continued to make an impact as part of the SI Swimsuit family, from speaking on panels at our launch events to spending hours interviewing, connecting and inspiring Swim Search hopefuls.

If you’re one of the 3.9 million people who follow Jasmine on social media, you’ll see her steadfast commitment to fighting for social justice. She uses her platform to provide resources on actions that can be taken—how to donate, sign petitions and more—to educate her fans, all the while sharing her experience as a Black woman in America.

“Jasmine is never about Jasmine. Jasmine is about the people who surround her, and her innate desire to go out of her way to make the people who love and support her know that feeling is mutual,” says Day. “Evident from the fact she has amassed millions of fans across social media and champions for the Black, Brown and marginalized communities, using her voice in the most powerful way possible in times and places where it matters most, Jasmine is a true phenomenon.”

We reported months ago that Jasmine was most recently romantically linked with NBA player Kelly Oubre, Jr. Ironically her fellow cover stars are also WAGS. Olivia Culpo has been dating Carolina Panthers star Christian McCaffrey for over a year and Kate Bock has been dating Cleveland Cavaliers baller Kevin Love for some time now. Check out their solo covers below:

Nine years ago, @katebock was driving through her hometown, Vancouver, when she got the news she had been booked to appear in SI Swim. She remembers pulling over to take in the surreal moment with her sister and cousin, screaming with joy. Little did she know she’d go on to spend almost a decade shooting in the world’s most beautiful destinations, winning 2013 Swimsuit Rookie of the Year, and now appearing on not one but two covers.

Kate has been a health and wellness guru long before it was trendy. Born with a mind for branding, she has been a true asset to SI Swimsuit and its evolution toward building a franchise beyond just the magazine pages. We often refer to our models as family because we cherish, care and support them as if they were our own. We also encourage them to be a part of the brand’s business with a constant flow of ideas between us and them. It wouldn’t come as a shock to find Kate Bock in one of our boardrooms helping us brainstorm. “Kate is one of the best brand ambassadors and idea collaborators we’ve worked with,” says Day. “On top of her extensive work as an advocate for mental health and wellness, she has played a pivotal role as a creative and business savvy collaborator for SI Swimsuit.”

The issue lands on newsstands July 21, are you checking for it? Also — are you like us, wondering why they put that diaper looking high waisted suit on Jasmine for her cover? She has a string bikini body SI — come on now.