Dallas Mavericks, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 40% (6 players with tattoos, 9 without)
The tattoo percentage for Dallas remained even with last year.
Players with tattoos:
Jae Crowder
Crowder has tattoos on both arms.
Mike James
Mike James attended Amityville High School in Long Island, alma mater to Wizards guard AJ Price and to rap group De La Soul. James has an Amityville tattoo on his right shoulder.
Bernard James
Bernard James has tattoos on both arms.
Shawn Marion
Among Marion’s several tattoos is a hoop and flaming basketball surrounded by the text “Mr. Marion” and “Matrix.”
O.J. Mayo
Mayo has his name lettered on his back, in almost precisely the same place as the name on his jersey.
Anthony Morrow
Dime Magazine had a great profile of Morrow earlier this year with detailed photos and quotes about his work. Morrow used the article to remind readers that you shouldn’t judge people based on their tattoos: “But like I always say, it’s not a measure of your mind or your heart… It’s really about what you want, what you really love or care about and you express it through body art.”
Players without tattoos:
Josh Akognon
Rodrigue Beaubois
Elton Brand
Vince Carter
Darren Collison
Jared Cunningham
Chris Kaman
Dirk Nowitzki
Brandan Wright
No longer on roster:
Dominique Jones: yes
Delonte West: yes
Dallas Mavericks, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 40% (6 players with tattoos, 9 players without)
The Mavs tattoo percentage dropped a little from last year, which seems inevitable considering they lost both DeShawn Stevenson and Tyson Chandler in the offseason. Still the only team with two Larry O’Brien tattoos, and probably will stay that way, regardless of future championships.
Players with tattoos:
Dominique Jones
While still a junior in college, Jones was included in an article about tattoos on the USF basketball team. The piece reports that he had more than 20 tattoos at that time, listing several of them, including two Michael Jordan quotes tattooed on his stomach: “The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.” And, “Basketball is my escape, my refuge. It seems that everything else is so … so busy and complicated.”
Jason Kidd
Kidd’s rarely seen panther tattoo speaks to his longtime love of big cats: “I got this tattoo so long ago. All the way back to about the time I was drafted by the Mavericks. I got it done at a shop in the Bay Area (San Francisco). I just like tigers, panthers, cats in general. I have always wanted to own a panther.”
Shawn Marion
Marion has a noble creature tattooed on his right shoulder that he described as a bull, to represent his Taurean nature: “I’m a Taurus at heart baby!” he declares, in a 2010 Ro Parrish video interview.
Lamar Odom
When it comes to tattoos, Odom keeps it simple: “My tattoos are just reminders of people who are close to me.”
Jason Terry
At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Terry got the Larry O’Brien trophy tattooed on his right bicep to inspire himself and his teammates. At the end of that season, the Mavs won their first championship.
Delonte West
Among his many tattoos (including a Christian religious narrative that starts on his neck and runs down his chest) is script along his ribs reads: “For those I love I sacrifice.” In an interview he elaborated, “I definitely sacrificed getting them on these ribs, I’ll tell you that.”
Players without tattoos:
Kelenna Azubuike
Rodrique Beaubois
Brian Cardinal
Vince Carter
Brendan Haywood
Yi Jianlian
Ian Mahinmi
Dirk Nowitzki
Brandan Wright
No longer on roster:
Sean Williams: no tattoos
Dallas Mavericks 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 47% (seven players with tattoos, eight without)
Now that the playoffs have begun, the discussion of how and when the Mavs will choke has begun again, with old ghosts haunting from past seasons. I’m not a fan of the team by any means, but I get a shiver of sympathy when I hear people laugh at them. The triumph of the 2007 Warriors isn’t the only source of amusement at Dallas’s expense: Jason Terry, and especially DeShawn Stevenson have tattoos that seem hilarious to observers, particularly Stevenson. I’m pretty sure even people who don’t follow basketball have gaped at the photo above. But when Stevenson and Terry start talking about their tattoos the emotion thickens like cement, choking off the giggles. Which is, I guess, their hope for how the playoffs run.
—
Players with tattoos:
Caron Butler
While on the Wizards, Butler wrote on his blog about tattoos: “Like many other guys in the NBA, I’m big on tattoos too. I may not be a league leader there, though, because I have just four of them. The tat that means the most to me is the one on my left arm. It says “Rest in Peace, Kailo”. That’s my cousin who died in a car accident. She was like a sister to me. I grew up with her and although she’s no longer here, I keep her with me.”
Tyson Chandler
Chandler’s website has a short video where he talks through all of his tattoos, including two different portraits (of his uncle and his daughter), his mother’s name, his wife’s initials, and his first tattoo: “I have a basketball on fire, with my name under it. That was my first tattoo, I was a youngster.”
Dominique Jones
For his rookie year, Jones manifested his love for the league by tattooing the NBA logo on his calf.
Jason Kidd
Kidd’s rarely seen panther tattoo speaks to his longtime love of big cats: “I got this tattoo so long ago. All the way back to about the time I was drafted by the Mavericks. I got it done at a shop in the Bay Area (San Francisco). I just like tigers, panthers, cats in general. I have always wanted to own a panther.”
Shawn Marion
Marion’s Chinese character tattoo on his calf was included in a New York Times article about poorly researched/translated tattoos: “Shawn Marion of the Phoenix Suns was under the impression that his nickname, ‘the Matrix,’ was tattooed on his leg, but Mr. Tang says the inscription translates as something like ‘demon bird moth balls.’”
DeShawn Stevenson
Tattoos play a vital role in Stevenson’s life. The Abraham Lincoln tattoo on his neck has inspired a lot of laughter but his teammates have nothing but respect. In the words of Caron Butler: “That’s crazy to a lot of people, but not to me. I respect him if he wants to do that. It’s a way for him to celebrate what Lincoln did with the slaves.” Stevenson also has a crack tattooed on his forehead, which he explained at a 2009 media day: “‘I don’t crack,’ he said. ‘I feel like people always try to break me, but I don’t crack. So, I put that there.’” Perhaps the most intense Stevenson tattoo isn’t on his body. His father, Darryl Stevenson, who had dreams of become a pro basketball player, was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic when DeShawn Stevenson was an infant. As a result of a series of violent crimes culminating in the murder of his mother, Darryl Stevenson spent most of his son’s life in prison, and died in Corcoran State Prison the year that DeShawn graduated high school. Tattooed on his chest was one word: “DeShawn.”
Jason Terry
Terry has a tattoo of Underdog, which he explained in a 2008 Dime Magazine interview: “I never was seen as one of the best players on the court ’til senior year of high school. Even at Arizona, I was not a starter ’til senior year.”
Players without tattoos:
J.J. Barea
Rodrique Beaubois
Corey Brewer
Brian Cardinal
Brendan Haywood
Ian Mahinmi
Dirk Nowitzki
Peja Stojakovic
Dallas Mavericks, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 40% (6 players with tattoos, 9 without)
The tattoo percentage for Dallas remained even with last year.
Players with tattoos:
Jae Crowder
Crowder has tattoos on both arms.
Mike James
Mike James attended Amityville High School in Long Island, alma mater to Wizards guard AJ Price and to rap group De La Soul. James has an Amityville tattoo on his right shoulder.
Bernard James
Bernard James has tattoos on both arms.
Shawn Marion
Among Marion’s several tattoos is a hoop and flaming basketball surrounded by the text “Mr. Marion” and “Matrix.”
O.J. Mayo
Mayo has his name lettered on his back, in almost precisely the same place as the name on his jersey.
Anthony Morrow
Dime Magazine had a great profile of Morrow earlier this year with detailed photos and quotes about his work. Morrow used the article to remind readers that you shouldn’t judge people based on their tattoos: “But like I always say, it’s not a measure of your mind or your heart… It’s really about what you want, what you really love or care about and you express it through body art.”
Players without tattoos:
Josh Akognon
Rodrigue Beaubois
Elton Brand
Vince Carter
Darren Collison
Jared Cunningham
Chris Kaman
Dirk Nowitzki
Brandan Wright
No longer on roster:
Dominique Jones: yes
Delonte West: yes
Dallas Mavericks, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 40% (6 players with tattoos, 9 players without)
The Mavs tattoo percentage dropped a little from last year, which seems inevitable considering they lost both DeShawn Stevenson and Tyson Chandler in the offseason. Still the only team with two Larry O’Brien tattoos, and probably will stay that way, regardless of future championships.
Players with tattoos:
Dominique Jones
While still a junior in college, Jones was included in an article about tattoos on the USF basketball team. The piece reports that he had more than 20 tattoos at that time, listing several of them, including two Michael Jordan quotes tattooed on his stomach: “The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.” And, “Basketball is my escape, my refuge. It seems that everything else is so … so busy and complicated.”
Jason Kidd
Kidd’s rarely seen panther tattoo speaks to his longtime love of big cats: “I got this tattoo so long ago. All the way back to about the time I was drafted by the Mavericks. I got it done at a shop in the Bay Area (San Francisco). I just like tigers, panthers, cats in general. I have always wanted to own a panther.”
Shawn Marion
Marion has a noble creature tattooed on his right shoulder that he described as a bull, to represent his Taurean nature: “I’m a Taurus at heart baby!” he declares, in a 2010 Ro Parrish video interview.
Lamar Odom
When it comes to tattoos, Odom keeps it simple: “My tattoos are just reminders of people who are close to me.”
Jason Terry
At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Terry got the Larry O’Brien trophy tattooed on his right bicep to inspire himself and his teammates. At the end of that season, the Mavs won their first championship.
Delonte West
Among his many tattoos (including a Christian religious narrative that starts on his neck and runs down his chest) is script along his ribs reads: “For those I love I sacrifice.” In an interview he elaborated, “I definitely sacrificed getting them on these ribs, I’ll tell you that.”
Players without tattoos:
Kelenna Azubuike
Rodrique Beaubois
Brian Cardinal
Vince Carter
Brendan Haywood
Yi Jianlian
Ian Mahinmi
Dirk Nowitzki
Brandan Wright
No longer on roster:
Sean Williams: no tattoos
Dallas Mavericks 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 47% (seven players with tattoos, eight without)
Now that the playoffs have begun, the discussion of how and when the Mavs will choke has begun again, with old ghosts haunting from past seasons. I’m not a fan of the team by any means, but I get a shiver of sympathy when I hear people laugh at them. The triumph of the 2007 Warriors isn’t the only source of amusement at Dallas’s expense: Jason Terry, and especially DeShawn Stevenson have tattoos that seem hilarious to observers, particularly Stevenson. I’m pretty sure even people who don’t follow basketball have gaped at the photo above. But when Stevenson and Terry start talking about their tattoos the emotion thickens like cement, choking off the giggles. Which is, I guess, their hope for how the playoffs run.
—
Players with tattoos:
Caron Butler
While on the Wizards, Butler wrote on his blog about tattoos: “Like many other guys in the NBA, I’m big on tattoos too. I may not be a league leader there, though, because I have just four of them. The tat that means the most to me is the one on my left arm. It says “Rest in Peace, Kailo”. That’s my cousin who died in a car accident. She was like a sister to me. I grew up with her and although she’s no longer here, I keep her with me.”
Tyson Chandler
Chandler’s website has a short video where he talks through all of his tattoos, including two different portraits (of his uncle and his daughter), his mother’s name, his wife’s initials, and his first tattoo: “I have a basketball on fire, with my name under it. That was my first tattoo, I was a youngster.”
Dominique Jones
For his rookie year, Jones manifested his love for the league by tattooing the NBA logo on his calf.
Jason Kidd
Kidd’s rarely seen panther tattoo speaks to his longtime love of big cats: “I got this tattoo so long ago. All the way back to about the time I was drafted by the Mavericks. I got it done at a shop in the Bay Area (San Francisco). I just like tigers, panthers, cats in general. I have always wanted to own a panther.”
Shawn Marion
Marion’s Chinese character tattoo on his calf was included in a New York Times article about poorly researched/translated tattoos: “Shawn Marion of the Phoenix Suns was under the impression that his nickname, ‘the Matrix,’ was tattooed on his leg, but Mr. Tang says the inscription translates as something like ‘demon bird moth balls.’”
DeShawn Stevenson
Tattoos play a vital role in Stevenson’s life. The Abraham Lincoln tattoo on his neck has inspired a lot of laughter but his teammates have nothing but respect. In the words of Caron Butler: “That’s crazy to a lot of people, but not to me. I respect him if he wants to do that. It’s a way for him to celebrate what Lincoln did with the slaves.” Stevenson also has a crack tattooed on his forehead, which he explained at a 2009 media day: “‘I don’t crack,’ he said. ‘I feel like people always try to break me, but I don’t crack. So, I put that there.’” Perhaps the most intense Stevenson tattoo isn’t on his body. His father, Darryl Stevenson, who had dreams of become a pro basketball player, was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic when DeShawn Stevenson was an infant. As a result of a series of violent crimes culminating in the murder of his mother, Darryl Stevenson spent most of his son’s life in prison, and died in Corcoran State Prison the year that DeShawn graduated high school. Tattooed on his chest was one word: “DeShawn.”
Jason Terry
Terry has a tattoo of Underdog, which he explained in a 2008 Dime Magazine interview: “I never was seen as one of the best players on the court ’til senior year of high school. Even at Arizona, I was not a starter ’til senior year.”
Players without tattoos:
J.J. Barea
Rodrique Beaubois
Corey Brewer
Brian Cardinal
Brendan Haywood
Ian Mahinmi
Dirk Nowitzki
Peja Stojakovic
