ESPN ‘Body Issue 2012’ to Feature 6 Nude Covers of Sports Stars: Who Are They? [PHOTOS]

ESPN Magazine's highly anticipated "Body Issue 2012" will feature six different covers when it hits newsstands July 13, the editors said.

The magazine wanted to have diversity, a good mix of female and male athletes, different body types and sports represented, among other things, Neely Lohmann, the magazine’s deputy editor said, according to ESPN’s Front Row.

“We had an overwhelming number of truly amazing photographs to choose from this year, which is why there are six covers,” she told Front Row on Tuesday.

The issue’s six covers will be distributed randomly ESPN said. This year, the athletes that will grace the covers are: New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski, Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Bautista, New York Knicks star Tyson Chandler, Tennis Star Daniela Hantuchova, WNBA Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker and mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey.

Other world-class athletes that will be featured include the entire U.S. Women's Volleyball team, U.S. Women's National Soccer Team forward Abby Wambach, U.S. Olympians Ashton Eaton (24-year-old decathlete ) and Carmelita Jeter who won the 100-meter qualifying event on June 23 in Oregon.

This is the magazine’s fourth Body Issue, which it dedicates to celebrate the athlete’s body.

“Bodies of the world’s most elite athletes are crafted by more than sweat and pain. They require will, along with equal measures of pride and insecurity. Most important, those competing must recognize that getting to the top—of a cliff, of a sport—takes sacrifice. So when an athlete arrives, it’s a moment worth capturing—no matter how frightening it seems to bare it all.

In previous years, the "Body Issue" has created a lot of buzz featuring female athletes like tennis player Serena Williams and U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo.

This year’s issue will also feature “Call of booty,” an in-depth exploration of this part of the body; “Freak of nurture,” chronicling Novak Djokovic’s tennis career and “Will you still medal in the morning?,” a story about the sexual life ot Olympic athletes.

See Online Exclusive Photo Shoots Revealed Today and the full list of 2012 'Bodies we Want' Athletes below: (Source ESPN Press Release)