Washington Wizards, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos, 8 without)
The Wizards have a lower tattoo percentage than last year.
Players with tattoos:
Trevor Ariza
Among Ariza’s many tattoos are 5 designs dedicated to his younger brother, who died when they were both children. As described by a New Orleans Times-Picayune profile, these tributes are, “displayed on Ariza’s arms, chest and neck and include a sketch of Tajh’s likeness, clasped hands in prayer over Tajh’s name, and on the inside of Ariza’s left forearm, the words ‘Blood is thicker than water. I am my brother’s keeper. Rest in peace, Tajh. I miss you.’”
Leandro Barbosa
Among Barbosa’s few tattoos is the text “Love, sacrifice, and union” on the back of his neck.
Bradley Beal
A good percentage of Beal’s tattoos are dedicated to his family. As described by a recent Washington Post profile, his right arm features “four descending stars, with the letters B-E-A-L inside, and names of his four siblings — Brandon, Bruce, Byron and Bryon — to the right of the stars. The names of his parents, Bobby and Besta, arch above them all.” The article also mentions that his mother accompanied Beal to his first tattoo session, and that he was fifteen years old at the time.
Trevor Booker
A Washington Post profile printed at the beginning of the 2010-11 season praised Booker for his tenacity, and described a tattoo that represents the distillation of his attitude: “Booker wears his motto tattooed across his chest. It reads, ‘I am free of all prejudice/I hate all opponents equally.’
Cartier Martin
In the summer of 2011, Martin had the words “Beware of the Grind” tattooed on his left arm.
Kevin Seraphin
Normally hidden by his jersey, Seraphin has an elaborate tattoo of an angel on his back.
Martell Webster
Webster was raised by his great-aunt Beulah Walker, a relationship explored in a 2006 Washington Post article. The piece describes Webster’s first two tattoos, and his process of asking his great-aunt for permission:
Shortly after he was drafted, Webster convinced Walker to let him get a tattoo of her eyes on his left shoulder and of Jesus on his right. “He said, ‘With you on my left side and Jesus watching me on my right side, I’m going to make it.’ So I said ‘Yes.’ Cause I’m a very religious woman,” said Walker, who added that she hates tattoos.
Players without tattoos:
Jason Collins
Nene
Emeka Okafor
A.J. Price
Chris Singleton
Garrett Temple
Jan Vesely
John Wall
Charlotte Bobcats 2010-2011
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos, 8 without)
Did you know that Michael Jordan has a brand? It’s hard to make out in photos, but he has a Greek letter burned into his chest to represent his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. In my imagination, Jordan is weird and competitive enough that this is an issue for players on the Bobcats, who have less tattooed players than most of the league. Even their tattooed players feel toned down compared to other teams, with the obvious exceptions of Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas.
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Players with tattoos:
D.J. Augustin
Has a touching tribute to his deceased grandmother tattooed on his back. A pair of hands hold a basketball beside the text “thanks for the rock” to memorialize his first ball, which was purchased by his grandmother for his fifth birthday.
Kwame Brown
Has a tattoo below his right elbow.
Dante Cunningham
As of his senior year of college (2009), Cunningham has nine tattoos, including one that reads “TROUBLE” on his left arm.
Stephen Jackson
Proud owner of one of the most hectic tattoos in the league: the standard praying hands on his stomach, but in this design the hands cradle an automatic handgun. When asked about the tattoo’s significance, Jackson explained the design was literal: “I pray I never have to use it again.”
Dominic McGuire
It’s tough to get a good look at McGuire’s open hands tattoo on his right bicep, but it looks incredible.
Joel Przybilla
Among his several tattoos are a basketball player on his right bicep accompanied by the text “Not in my house” and his wife’s name in a heart with roses.
Tyrus Thomas
Easily the most heavily tattooed players on the Bobcats, Thomas admits to disliking his first tattoo: “The name was just like the first one. I think a lot of people usually get their name as the first one. If I could do it over I wouldn’t. You know, I know my name.”
Players without tattoos:
Matt Carroll
Boris Diaw
DeSagana Diop
Gerald Henderson
Shaun Livingston
Eduardo Najera
Garrett Temple
D.J. White
Washington Wizards, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos, 8 without)
The Wizards have a lower tattoo percentage than last year.
Players with tattoos:
Trevor Ariza
Among Ariza’s many tattoos are 5 designs dedicated to his younger brother, who died when they were both children. As described by a New Orleans Times-Picayune profile, these tributes are, “displayed on Ariza’s arms, chest and neck and include a sketch of Tajh’s likeness, clasped hands in prayer over Tajh’s name, and on the inside of Ariza’s left forearm, the words ‘Blood is thicker than water. I am my brother’s keeper. Rest in peace, Tajh. I miss you.’”
Leandro Barbosa
Among Barbosa’s few tattoos is the text “Love, sacrifice, and union” on the back of his neck.
Bradley Beal
A good percentage of Beal’s tattoos are dedicated to his family. As described by a recent Washington Post profile, his right arm features “four descending stars, with the letters B-E-A-L inside, and names of his four siblings — Brandon, Bruce, Byron and Bryon — to the right of the stars. The names of his parents, Bobby and Besta, arch above them all.” The article also mentions that his mother accompanied Beal to his first tattoo session, and that he was fifteen years old at the time.
Trevor Booker
A Washington Post profile printed at the beginning of the 2010-11 season praised Booker for his tenacity, and described a tattoo that represents the distillation of his attitude: “Booker wears his motto tattooed across his chest. It reads, ‘I am free of all prejudice/I hate all opponents equally.’
Cartier Martin
In the summer of 2011, Martin had the words “Beware of the Grind” tattooed on his left arm.
Kevin Seraphin
Normally hidden by his jersey, Seraphin has an elaborate tattoo of an angel on his back.
Martell Webster
Webster was raised by his great-aunt Beulah Walker, a relationship explored in a 2006 Washington Post article. The piece describes Webster’s first two tattoos, and his process of asking his great-aunt for permission:
Shortly after he was drafted, Webster convinced Walker to let him get a tattoo of her eyes on his left shoulder and of Jesus on his right. “He said, ‘With you on my left side and Jesus watching me on my right side, I’m going to make it.’ So I said ‘Yes.’ Cause I’m a very religious woman,” said Walker, who added that she hates tattoos.
Players without tattoos:
Jason Collins
Nene
Emeka Okafor
A.J. Price
Chris Singleton
Garrett Temple
Jan Vesely
John Wall
Charlotte Bobcats 2010-2011
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos, 8 without)
Did you know that Michael Jordan has a brand? It’s hard to make out in photos, but he has a Greek letter burned into his chest to represent his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi. In my imagination, Jordan is weird and competitive enough that this is an issue for players on the Bobcats, who have less tattooed players than most of the league. Even their tattooed players feel toned down compared to other teams, with the obvious exceptions of Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas.
—
Players with tattoos:
D.J. Augustin
Has a touching tribute to his deceased grandmother tattooed on his back. A pair of hands hold a basketball beside the text “thanks for the rock” to memorialize his first ball, which was purchased by his grandmother for his fifth birthday.
Kwame Brown
Has a tattoo below his right elbow.
Dante Cunningham
As of his senior year of college (2009), Cunningham has nine tattoos, including one that reads “TROUBLE” on his left arm.
Stephen Jackson
Proud owner of one of the most hectic tattoos in the league: the standard praying hands on his stomach, but in this design the hands cradle an automatic handgun. When asked about the tattoo’s significance, Jackson explained the design was literal: “I pray I never have to use it again.”
Dominic McGuire
It’s tough to get a good look at McGuire’s open hands tattoo on his right bicep, but it looks incredible.
Joel Przybilla
Among his several tattoos are a basketball player on his right bicep accompanied by the text “Not in my house” and his wife’s name in a heart with roses.
Tyrus Thomas
Easily the most heavily tattooed players on the Bobcats, Thomas admits to disliking his first tattoo: “The name was just like the first one. I think a lot of people usually get their name as the first one. If I could do it over I wouldn’t. You know, I know my name.”
Players without tattoos:
Matt Carroll
Boris Diaw
DeSagana Diop
Gerald Henderson
Shaun Livingston
Eduardo Najera
Garrett Temple
D.J. White
