ESPN The Magazine’s The Body Issue set out seven years ago with one mission: to celebrate and explore the athletic form through powerful images and interviews. The cornerstone of each annual issue is The Bodies We Want photo portfolio, which features roughly 20 of the world’s most elite athletes posing (tastefully) nude.
The Mercury’s Diana Taurasi previously appeared in the issue, famously gracing the cover in 2010. This year, it’s Brittney Griner who is featured prominently in the issue (on newsstands Friday, July 10).
In a recent interview with espnW, Griner talked with Kate Fagan and Morty Ain about a variety of topics:
On appearing in The Body Issue: “I’d describe myself as athletically lanky. I want to show people that. I’m comfortable in my body and I don’t mind putting it on display. Honestly, I like how unique it is. My big arms, my bigger hands, these long legs-I love being different.”
On adjusting to her 6-foot-8 build: “I could palm a basketball since I was a freshman in high school. For me, it’s a very tall world. Just walking around, it’s kind of like being on display at a museum, like being on display 24/7.”
On being bullied: “I want to tell my younger self, and kids who are going through what I went through: Don’t be scared to reach out and grab some help. Don’t try to fit in-be who you are, express yourself. I definitely want to be remembered as one of the great WNBA defenders, but I also want to be known as a person who helped out kids with being bullied.”
For the entire interview along with an accompanying video, click here.