Kysre Gondrezick Becomes First Black Athlete on Playboy Cover

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick made history by becoming the first Black professional athlete to be featured as a Playmate in Playboy‘s 2025 lineup. The announcement was made on Monday, Nov. 10, and Gondrezick is also set to grace the cover for June 2025.

Gondrezick, 28, shared her excitement on social media, stating, “Proud to be the first Black professional athlete in history to ever grace Playboy magazine and this year’s centerfold.” The magazine’s spread uses retro glamour inspired by the 1970s to showcase her in various minimalist and chic attire, including a leopard print set.

The Michigan native, who played for the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky, emphasized her transition from basketball to modeling. She explained, “What people label as a transition, I embody as evolution. I’m not stepping outside who I am. I’m building a multidimensional brand.”

Gondrezick, who was a standout at the University of Michigan and West Virginia prior to her fourth overall selection in the 2021 WNBA Draft, has expanded her career into modeling and creative projects since leaving the league in 2024.

After her time in the WNBA, Gondrezick has gained attention for her style and entrepreneurial vision, while being included in Playboy’s upcoming Winter 2025–26 issue. There, she joins other notable Black women in the magazine, marking a milestone in representation in the industry.

In a statement about her journey, she acknowledged the challenges of both sports and personal branding: “Becoming a WNBA player and getting to that level, you put in a lot of work to get there. You have to put in even more work to stay there.”