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Kate Upton Lands Cover of ‘Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’ Issue for Third Time

Yu Tsai/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Third time’s a charm! Kate Upton has landed the cover of the 2017 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.

The 24-year-old model was revealed as the star on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, February 14.

Related: PHOTOS: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Model Kate Upton's Hot Body

It’s the third time Upton has featured on the cover of the magazine that kick-started her career in 2011, when she was named Rookie of the Year.

Related: PHOTOS: Stars' Hot Bodies: As Seen on Twitter, Instagram

To celebrate, the coveted publication has produced three different covers, one of which caused Kimmel to question whether her revealing outfit was even swimwear.

“Is that really a swimsuit you’re wearing?” he asked. “Because it seems just like a hammock that got torn to bits.”

Upton, who was on the cover in 2012 and 2013, played along with the joke and said: “I’m pretty sure it’s just a rope. It’s apparently Sports Illustrated nude magazine.”

Yu Tsai/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Related: See Kate Upton's Enormous Engagement Ring Up Close in This Video

She was thrilled to have made it onto the cover again and took to Twitter to gush about what it means to her.

“Wow, so honored and excited to be back with @SI_Swimsuit in an issue that celebrates beauty and confidence in all shapes and sizes!” she wrote.

The big reveal comes just one week after it was claimed Upton was being a diva over the cover shoot.

Page Six reported the blonde bombshell was on the brink of being cut because of her alleged diva behavior, but it appears all is well between the model and the magazine.

Several other celebrities are gracing the pages of the Sports Illustrated issue, which hits stands on Wednesday, February 15.

As Us Weekly reported, Hannah Davis posed in a bikini for the issue just weeks after learning she was pregnant and expecting her first child with Derek Jeter.

Hannah Davis poses for Sports Illustrated
Hannah Davis poses for Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated

Christie Brinkley also returned to the magazine at the age of 63, with her daughters, Alexa Ray and Sailor.

Christie Brinkley, 63, poses for Sports Illustrated with her daughters
Christie Brinkley, 63, poses for Sports Illustrated with her daughters Sports Illustrated

Check out Upton’s covers above.

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