Memphis Grizzlies, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 60% (9 players with tattoos, 6 without)
The Grizzlies saw their tattoo percentage decrease from last year.
Players with tattoos:
Darrell Arthur
Arthur has a great tattoo on his back.
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless described his massive backpiece as “a college mistake” and goes on to declare that he “regrets it everyday.”
Mike Conley
As described in a video interview, Conley has Luke 23:34 (“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do”) tattooed on his right arm. He explained in the video that the tattoo helped him during his first years in the league, during a time in which, “off the court, I was always sad, always looking at things in a negative view, and I found this quote… it moved me a lot, and I just wanted to have that stick with me.”
Ed Davis
Davis has tattoos along both arms.
Keyon Dooling
According to NBA.com, the cross tattoo on Dooling’s shoulder is to remind him that he’s blessed.
Donte Greene
Greene has tattoos on both arms.
Zach Randolph
Randolph has tattoos on both arms.
Willie Reed
Reed has tattoos on both arms and across his chest.
Tony Wroten
Wroten has tattoos covering both arms.
Players without tattoos:
Tony Allen
Austin Daye
Marc Gasol
Jon Leuer
Quincy Pondexter
Tayshaun Prince
Toronto Raptors 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 50% (7 players with tattoos, 7 without)
Raptors are in a rebuilding mode this year, and have fewer tattooed players than they did last year.
Players with tattoos:
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless described his massive backpiece as “a college mistake” and goes on to declare that he “regrets it everyday.” He should check in with his new teammate Jamaal Magloire about tattoo removal.
Ed Davis
Davis has tattoos covering both arms.
DeMar DeRozan
On DeRozan’s forearm is a tribute to his grandmother. He also has a tattoo that reads “the Blessed One,” a nickname given to him by his grandmother.
Gary Forbes
Forbes has an interesting elbow-cobweb that fades into a Brooklyn skyline on his left arm.
Amir Johnson
Over the summer, Johnson added the Afro Samurai character to his stomach.
James Johnson
The collection of tattoos on Johnson’s arms includes a collection of aces, a portrait of Christ, an castle turret, and the air Jordan logo.
Jamaal Magloire
In 2008, Magloire had his “Mister Magloire” tattoo removed from his arm. “Not that there’s anything wrong with tattoos,” he explained to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “but, for me, this was the right time, the right choice.”
Players without tattoos:
Solomon Alabi
Alan Anderson
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Aaron Gray
Linas Kleiza
Ben Uzoh
No longer on roster:
Rasual Butler: Butler has many tattoos.
Anthony Carter: Carter’s tattoos include his own name in script.
Toronto Raptors, 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 60% (9 players with tattoos, 6 without)
The Raptors are an international team with an international roster, including players from France, Nigeria, Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Lithuania. American players are far more likely to have tattoos than non-Americans, and a majority of the un-tattooed players on Toronto are from Africa and Europe. However, they do have two of the undeniably rare tattooed foreign players.
—
Players with tattoos:
Alexis Ajinca
Ajinca has a tattoo below his right ear that, as he explained to a reporter in 2010, is ” a symbol that means, ‘The great talent sent from God.’” Apparently it is also the logo for the TV series Heroes, a drama about mutant children.
Leandro Barbosa
Among Barbosa’s few tattoos is the text “Love, sacrifice, and union” on the back of his neck.
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless has a massive backpiece, which he describes as, “a college mistake, I regret it every day.”
Ed Davis
Davis came into the league with heavy coverage of both arms, a rarity in the 2010 rookie class.
DeMar DeRozan
Among DeRozan’s tattoos is a tribute to his grandmother, which he discussed in a 2010 profile: “[Points to his right forearm] This one right here, for my grandmother. I got it done right after last season after she passed. She meant a lot to me — it was only right that I [commemorate her] like that.”
Reggie Evans
Evans has tattoos along both arms, including his mother’s name—Janie—tattooed along his left forearm.
Amir Johnson
His tattoo buddy Sonny Weems posted a photo of Johnson in the tattoo chair on Twitter, and a few hours later posted a detail of the finished design.
James Johnson
Johnson almost sounds defensive when describing his tattoo choices: “All my tattoos mean a little something. I’m not going to put something on myself that doesn’t mean anything. I have a big family so a lot of my tattoos have to do with my family or my religious beliefs.”
Sonny Weems
Clearly a tattoo enabler, not only does Weems accompany his teammates to the tattoo shop, but he occasionally has his artist set up in his house for tattoo parties.
Players without tattoos:
Solomon Alabi
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Joey Dorsey
Sundiata Gaines
Linas Kleiza
Julian Wright
Memphis Grizzlies, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 60% (9 players with tattoos, 6 without)
The Grizzlies saw their tattoo percentage decrease from last year.
Players with tattoos:
Darrell Arthur
Arthur has a great tattoo on his back.
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless described his massive backpiece as “a college mistake” and goes on to declare that he “regrets it everyday.”
Mike Conley
As described in a video interview, Conley has Luke 23:34 (“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do”) tattooed on his right arm. He explained in the video that the tattoo helped him during his first years in the league, during a time in which, “off the court, I was always sad, always looking at things in a negative view, and I found this quote… it moved me a lot, and I just wanted to have that stick with me.”
Ed Davis
Davis has tattoos along both arms.
Keyon Dooling
According to NBA.com, the cross tattoo on Dooling’s shoulder is to remind him that he’s blessed.
Donte Greene
Greene has tattoos on both arms.
Zach Randolph
Randolph has tattoos on both arms.
Willie Reed
Reed has tattoos on both arms and across his chest.
Tony Wroten
Wroten has tattoos covering both arms.
Players without tattoos:
Tony Allen
Austin Daye
Marc Gasol
Jon Leuer
Quincy Pondexter
Tayshaun Prince
Toronto Raptors 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 50% (7 players with tattoos, 7 without)
Raptors are in a rebuilding mode this year, and have fewer tattooed players than they did last year.
Players with tattoos:
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless described his massive backpiece as “a college mistake” and goes on to declare that he “regrets it everyday.” He should check in with his new teammate Jamaal Magloire about tattoo removal.
Ed Davis
Davis has tattoos covering both arms.
DeMar DeRozan
On DeRozan’s forearm is a tribute to his grandmother. He also has a tattoo that reads “the Blessed One,” a nickname given to him by his grandmother.
Gary Forbes
Forbes has an interesting elbow-cobweb that fades into a Brooklyn skyline on his left arm.
Amir Johnson
Over the summer, Johnson added the Afro Samurai character to his stomach.
James Johnson
The collection of tattoos on Johnson’s arms includes a collection of aces, a portrait of Christ, an castle turret, and the air Jordan logo.
Jamaal Magloire
In 2008, Magloire had his “Mister Magloire” tattoo removed from his arm. “Not that there’s anything wrong with tattoos,” he explained to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “but, for me, this was the right time, the right choice.”
Players without tattoos:
Solomon Alabi
Alan Anderson
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Aaron Gray
Linas Kleiza
Ben Uzoh
No longer on roster:
Rasual Butler: Butler has many tattoos.
Anthony Carter: Carter’s tattoos include his own name in script.
Toronto Raptors, 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 60% (9 players with tattoos, 6 without)
The Raptors are an international team with an international roster, including players from France, Nigeria, Brazil, Italy, Spain, and Lithuania. American players are far more likely to have tattoos than non-Americans, and a majority of the un-tattooed players on Toronto are from Africa and Europe. However, they do have two of the undeniably rare tattooed foreign players.
—
Players with tattoos:
Alexis Ajinca
Ajinca has a tattoo below his right ear that, as he explained to a reporter in 2010, is ” a symbol that means, ‘The great talent sent from God.’” Apparently it is also the logo for the TV series Heroes, a drama about mutant children.
Leandro Barbosa
Among Barbosa’s few tattoos is the text “Love, sacrifice, and union” on the back of his neck.
Jerryd Bayless
Bayless has a massive backpiece, which he describes as, “a college mistake, I regret it every day.”
Ed Davis
Davis came into the league with heavy coverage of both arms, a rarity in the 2010 rookie class.
DeMar DeRozan
Among DeRozan’s tattoos is a tribute to his grandmother, which he discussed in a 2010 profile: “[Points to his right forearm] This one right here, for my grandmother. I got it done right after last season after she passed. She meant a lot to me — it was only right that I [commemorate her] like that.”
Reggie Evans
Evans has tattoos along both arms, including his mother’s name—Janie—tattooed along his left forearm.
Amir Johnson
His tattoo buddy Sonny Weems posted a photo of Johnson in the tattoo chair on Twitter, and a few hours later posted a detail of the finished design.
James Johnson
Johnson almost sounds defensive when describing his tattoo choices: “All my tattoos mean a little something. I’m not going to put something on myself that doesn’t mean anything. I have a big family so a lot of my tattoos have to do with my family or my religious beliefs.”
Sonny Weems
Clearly a tattoo enabler, not only does Weems accompany his teammates to the tattoo shop, but he occasionally has his artist set up in his house for tattoo parties.
Players without tattoos:
Solomon Alabi
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Joey Dorsey
Sundiata Gaines
Linas Kleiza
Julian Wright
