Orlando Magic, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 43% (6 players with tattoos, 8 without)
With all of their off-season and mid-season moves, the Magic have a significant drop in tattoo percentage from last year.
Players with tattoos:
Glen Davis
Davis has several tattoos, including a portrait of his mother on his chest. In a 2012 article about the growing trend of NBA players having tattoos removed, Davis sympathized with Mike Bibby’s decision to have some of his work removed: “He’s on the last limb of his career as far as basketball, now he has to go in the world and know to work. And how do you do that? You blend in with the guys who have done it - who come in with a suit and tie with no tattoos.” Davis went on to explain that he would likely do the same thing after retirement.
Al Harrington
Among Harrington’s many tattoos is a great snarling wolf on his chest with the text “Killer Instinct.”
DeQuan Jones
Jones has a collection of tattoos along his left arm.
E’Twaun Moore
Moore has his parents’ names, “Edna” and “Ezell” tattooed on the insides of his biceps.
Jameer Nelson
Nelson has tattoos along both arms.
Kyle O’Quinn
O’Quinn is one of the most heavily tattooed players on the Magic this season. Among his designs is a tattoo reading “Shoot for the moon” on his right arm.
Players without tattoos:
Arron Afflalo
Maurice Harkless
Tobias Harris
Doron Lamb
Andrew Nicholson
Hedo Turkoglu
Beno Udrih
Nikola Vucevic
Orlando Magic, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 67% (10 players with tattoos, 5 without)
Orlando’s tattoo percentage is basically the same as it was last year. And as of right now, their win percentage is about the same as it was last year (.625 this year vs. .634 last year). Weird, right?
Players with tattoos:
Earl Clark
While still in college, Clark was the feature of a profile on the IMG Basketball Academy website that discussed the tattoo on his hand: “Me and my best friend from Jersey came up with BFAM (point to a tattoo on his hand). It means Brother From Another Mother. I heard about some NBA players with BFAM, and I’ve seen some people with it on their hat, but we were talking about this since we were young. All of my friends from the neighborhood who grew up together, we’ve all got the tattoo. We’re like brothers, and it’s just a sign of loyalty.”
Glen Davis
In the beginning of 2010 Davis announced that he would abandon his “Big Baby” nickname, however he continues to keep his mother close to his heart with her portrait and the text “mama’s boy” tattooed on his chest.
Chris Duhon
Duhon has “My Word My Bond” tattooed on the inside of his right bicep, and “My Boys My Blood” tattooed on the inside of his left bicep.
Justin Harper
Harper has tattoos on both arms, including a pretty majestic cross on his left shoulder.
DeAndre Liggins
Liggins wears jersey #34 in tribute to his older brother, Maurice Davis, who was shot and killed outside of his high school at the age of eighteen (Liggins was 14 at the time). Davis was a promising high school player, and his death inspired Liggins’s game, as quoted in a 2011 profile: “When he died, I felt like I had to carry on his dream. This is what he wanted to do. I’m living his dream for him. Hopefully I’m making him proud.” Liggins also wears a portrait of his brother on his right arm, one of many tattoos that earned him a shout out on Bleed Blue Tattoo.
Jameer Nelson
“ALL EYES ON ME” is tattooed across Nelson’s back, a reference to 2Pac’s legendary 1996 album, “All Eyez on Me.”
J.J. Redick
In December of 2011, Redick posted a photo of his forearm tattoo, which quotes a Kings of Leon song.
Jason Richardson
A 2010 profile in the Phoenix New Times reported that Richardson has 26 tattoos, including his nickname (THA FACTOR), a grim reaper, the names of his family members, and a figure holding a basketball. According to an earlier Phoenix New Times article, none of these designs were chosen lightly, as explained by Richardson: “I don’t get tattooed unless I’m 100 percent sure.”
Quentin Richardson
A 2010 report by the Orlando Sentinel got deep into the tragedy in Richardson’s life, his mother’s death from breast cancer and the shooting deaths of two of his three brothers (one of whom is memorialized in tattoo on Richardson’s forearm). The accompanying photo slideshow illustrates his “life’s storyboard [as] seen through his tattoos.” I love that he’s smiling and laughing in every picture, contradicting the heartbreak of the text. Unrelated bonus fact: when Richardson and Brandy were dating in 2004, she had his portrait tattooed on her shoulder, but has since had it covered up with a butterfly.
Von Wafer
Wafer has several tattoos, including a cobweb on his right elbow. Traditionally, cobweb tattoos indicate time spent in prison, although recently the design has also come to represent struggle in a more general sense.
Players without tattoos:
Ryan Anderson
Dwight Howard
Daniel Orton
Ish Smith
Hedo Turkoglu
MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL! Who wore it better: Glen Davis or J.R. Smith?
J.R. Smith and Glen Davis each have a “Mama’s Boy” tattoo on their right pectoral. They’re surprisingly similar, but whose is better?
—
J.R. Smith:
vs.
Glen Davis:
Script: Smith went for the spiraling, delicate lettering that replaced Old English (or Black Letter) during the last decade in popularity. The second “m” in “Mama” is a little unbalanced but the detail is nice overall. Davis selected a heavier script that’s almost blockish. While there’s a sentimental weight to Davis’ choice, since it’s closer to the kind of script a kid might use on a mother’s day card, the elegance and motion of Smith’s lettering feels a more respectful tribute. Winner: Smith
Portrait: Well, they’re both pretty mom-like, smiling and soft-eyed. While Smith’s portrait mom has a nice shine to her hair, Davis’ portrait mom has hers up in a bun, away from her face like she’s trying to get some work done. Also the portrait shows her neck and shoulders, which kind of makes her look more like a comic book drawing than a photo. It seems like Davis chose a daytime, real-life image of his mom while Smith went more evening-wear, with earrings. You have to respect both sides. Winner: draw
Background: Surround Smith’s portrait are some heavenly clouds, the same that stretch across his entire chest. A couple of doves flank the design. Davis’s design also has clouds, but they’re parted at the top by sun rays, this very classic heavens-open-up-to-reveal-beauty moment. Winner: Davis
Context: I’m a little confused why neither of them got the tattoo on the left side of their chest, i.e. over their heart. Probably both of them already had tattoos over their hearts, which surprisingly, are also similar–Smith has a portrait of Christ, and Davis has an image of Christ’s hands being pierced by spikes. With the aforementioned clouds, Smith tied his “Mama’s Boy” tattoo into the rest of his upper body tattoos, which has a holistic strength that resonates with his “I got a hell of a story going on” sense of his tattoos. But there’s something potent about Davis keeping the tattoo isolated, focused. He only has one story to tell, of love and devotion. Winner: Davis
By a score of 3 to 2, the 2011 NBA Tattoos “Who wore it better?” Mother’s Day challenge is awarded to Big Baby Davis. Would you want it any other way?
Boston Celtics 2010-11
Tattoo percentage:66% (10 players with tattoos/5 without)
Despite some trade-deadline maneuvers that sent away heavily tattooed Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson for un-tattooed Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic, the Celtics remain above the league average for tattooed players.
—
Players with tattoos:
Carlos Arroyo
Arroyo’s sole tattoo is his daughter’s name on his left forearm.
Glen Davis
In the beginning of 2010 Davis announced that he would abandon his “Big Baby” nickname, however he continues to keep his mother close to his heart with her portrait and the text “mama’s boy” tattooed on his chest.
Kevin Garnett
Among KG’s few tattoos is the following text on his forearm: “Only God can Judge me. Rest in Peace MS2.” The text is a tribute combining the initials and jersey number of his Timberwolves teammate Malik Sealy who was killed by a drunk driver in 2000. Former teammate (and current Laker) Joe Smith has the same tribute on his arm.
Jermaine O’Neal
Heavily tattooed. His “Year of the Resurrection” text, added in 1999 on his right shoulder, is a nice commemoration of Christian mythos and Y2K anxiety.
Shaquille O’Neal
In typical Shaq humor, O’Neal claimed in a 2009 article, “I have all these tattoos because my parents let me get them. I have to fax the designs to them beforehand.”
Aleksandar Pavlovic
One of the rare tattooed Euro players in the league, Pavlovic has text on his forearm and a tiger on his ankle.
Paul Pierce
In 2010 he got his nickname, “The Truth” tattooed on his forearm, garnished with a couple of clever references to the game: a clover for the Celtics and a pair of dice reading 3 and 4 (his jersey number is 34).
Rajon Rondo
Although it can’t be seen on the court, Rondo has the Rolls Royce logo inked on his back, a gentle reference to his initials.
Von Wafer
Has a few tattoos, including a cobweb on his elbow, representing his struggle.
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:
Ray Allen
Avery Bradley
Jeff Green
Nenad Krstic
Troy Murphy
Orlando Magic, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 43% (6 players with tattoos, 8 without)
With all of their off-season and mid-season moves, the Magic have a significant drop in tattoo percentage from last year.
Players with tattoos:
Glen Davis
Davis has several tattoos, including a portrait of his mother on his chest. In a 2012 article about the growing trend of NBA players having tattoos removed, Davis sympathized with Mike Bibby’s decision to have some of his work removed: “He’s on the last limb of his career as far as basketball, now he has to go in the world and know to work. And how do you do that? You blend in with the guys who have done it - who come in with a suit and tie with no tattoos.” Davis went on to explain that he would likely do the same thing after retirement.
Al Harrington
Among Harrington’s many tattoos is a great snarling wolf on his chest with the text “Killer Instinct.”
DeQuan Jones
Jones has a collection of tattoos along his left arm.
E’Twaun Moore
Moore has his parents’ names, “Edna” and “Ezell” tattooed on the insides of his biceps.
Jameer Nelson
Nelson has tattoos along both arms.
Kyle O’Quinn
O’Quinn is one of the most heavily tattooed players on the Magic this season. Among his designs is a tattoo reading “Shoot for the moon” on his right arm.
Players without tattoos:
Arron Afflalo
Maurice Harkless
Tobias Harris
Doron Lamb
Andrew Nicholson
Hedo Turkoglu
Beno Udrih
Nikola Vucevic
Orlando Magic, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 67% (10 players with tattoos, 5 without)
Orlando’s tattoo percentage is basically the same as it was last year. And as of right now, their win percentage is about the same as it was last year (.625 this year vs. .634 last year). Weird, right?
Players with tattoos:
Earl Clark
While still in college, Clark was the feature of a profile on the IMG Basketball Academy website that discussed the tattoo on his hand: “Me and my best friend from Jersey came up with BFAM (point to a tattoo on his hand). It means Brother From Another Mother. I heard about some NBA players with BFAM, and I’ve seen some people with it on their hat, but we were talking about this since we were young. All of my friends from the neighborhood who grew up together, we’ve all got the tattoo. We’re like brothers, and it’s just a sign of loyalty.”
Glen Davis
In the beginning of 2010 Davis announced that he would abandon his “Big Baby” nickname, however he continues to keep his mother close to his heart with her portrait and the text “mama’s boy” tattooed on his chest.
Chris Duhon
Duhon has “My Word My Bond” tattooed on the inside of his right bicep, and “My Boys My Blood” tattooed on the inside of his left bicep.
Justin Harper
Harper has tattoos on both arms, including a pretty majestic cross on his left shoulder.
DeAndre Liggins
Liggins wears jersey #34 in tribute to his older brother, Maurice Davis, who was shot and killed outside of his high school at the age of eighteen (Liggins was 14 at the time). Davis was a promising high school player, and his death inspired Liggins’s game, as quoted in a 2011 profile: “When he died, I felt like I had to carry on his dream. This is what he wanted to do. I’m living his dream for him. Hopefully I’m making him proud.” Liggins also wears a portrait of his brother on his right arm, one of many tattoos that earned him a shout out on Bleed Blue Tattoo.
Jameer Nelson
“ALL EYES ON ME” is tattooed across Nelson’s back, a reference to 2Pac’s legendary 1996 album, “All Eyez on Me.”
J.J. Redick
In December of 2011, Redick posted a photo of his forearm tattoo, which quotes a Kings of Leon song.
Jason Richardson
A 2010 profile in the Phoenix New Times reported that Richardson has 26 tattoos, including his nickname (THA FACTOR), a grim reaper, the names of his family members, and a figure holding a basketball. According to an earlier Phoenix New Times article, none of these designs were chosen lightly, as explained by Richardson: “I don’t get tattooed unless I’m 100 percent sure.”
Quentin Richardson
A 2010 report by the Orlando Sentinel got deep into the tragedy in Richardson’s life, his mother’s death from breast cancer and the shooting deaths of two of his three brothers (one of whom is memorialized in tattoo on Richardson’s forearm). The accompanying photo slideshow illustrates his “life’s storyboard [as] seen through his tattoos.” I love that he’s smiling and laughing in every picture, contradicting the heartbreak of the text. Unrelated bonus fact: when Richardson and Brandy were dating in 2004, she had his portrait tattooed on her shoulder, but has since had it covered up with a butterfly.
Von Wafer
Wafer has several tattoos, including a cobweb on his right elbow. Traditionally, cobweb tattoos indicate time spent in prison, although recently the design has also come to represent struggle in a more general sense.
Players without tattoos:
Ryan Anderson
Dwight Howard
Daniel Orton
Ish Smith
Hedo Turkoglu
MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL! Who wore it better: Glen Davis or J.R. Smith?
J.R. Smith and Glen Davis each have a “Mama’s Boy” tattoo on their right pectoral. They’re surprisingly similar, but whose is better?
—
J.R. Smith:
vs.
Glen Davis:
Script: Smith went for the spiraling, delicate lettering that replaced Old English (or Black Letter) during the last decade in popularity. The second “m” in “Mama” is a little unbalanced but the detail is nice overall. Davis selected a heavier script that’s almost blockish. While there’s a sentimental weight to Davis’ choice, since it’s closer to the kind of script a kid might use on a mother’s day card, the elegance and motion of Smith’s lettering feels a more respectful tribute. Winner: Smith
Portrait: Well, they’re both pretty mom-like, smiling and soft-eyed. While Smith’s portrait mom has a nice shine to her hair, Davis’ portrait mom has hers up in a bun, away from her face like she’s trying to get some work done. Also the portrait shows her neck and shoulders, which kind of makes her look more like a comic book drawing than a photo. It seems like Davis chose a daytime, real-life image of his mom while Smith went more evening-wear, with earrings. You have to respect both sides. Winner: draw
Background: Surround Smith’s portrait are some heavenly clouds, the same that stretch across his entire chest. A couple of doves flank the design. Davis’s design also has clouds, but they’re parted at the top by sun rays, this very classic heavens-open-up-to-reveal-beauty moment. Winner: Davis
Context: I’m a little confused why neither of them got the tattoo on the left side of their chest, i.e. over their heart. Probably both of them already had tattoos over their hearts, which surprisingly, are also similar–Smith has a portrait of Christ, and Davis has an image of Christ’s hands being pierced by spikes. With the aforementioned clouds, Smith tied his “Mama’s Boy” tattoo into the rest of his upper body tattoos, which has a holistic strength that resonates with his “I got a hell of a story going on” sense of his tattoos. But there’s something potent about Davis keeping the tattoo isolated, focused. He only has one story to tell, of love and devotion. Winner: Davis
By a score of 3 to 2, the 2011 NBA Tattoos “Who wore it better?” Mother’s Day challenge is awarded to Big Baby Davis. Would you want it any other way?
Boston Celtics 2010-11
Tattoo percentage:66% (10 players with tattoos/5 without)
Despite some trade-deadline maneuvers that sent away heavily tattooed Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson for un-tattooed Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic, the Celtics remain above the league average for tattooed players.
—
Players with tattoos:
Carlos Arroyo
Arroyo’s sole tattoo is his daughter’s name on his left forearm.
Glen Davis
In the beginning of 2010 Davis announced that he would abandon his “Big Baby” nickname, however he continues to keep his mother close to his heart with her portrait and the text “mama’s boy” tattooed on his chest.
Kevin Garnett
Among KG’s few tattoos is the following text on his forearm: “Only God can Judge me. Rest in Peace MS2.” The text is a tribute combining the initials and jersey number of his Timberwolves teammate Malik Sealy who was killed by a drunk driver in 2000. Former teammate (and current Laker) Joe Smith has the same tribute on his arm.
Jermaine O’Neal
Heavily tattooed. His “Year of the Resurrection” text, added in 1999 on his right shoulder, is a nice commemoration of Christian mythos and Y2K anxiety.
Shaquille O’Neal
In typical Shaq humor, O’Neal claimed in a 2009 article, “I have all these tattoos because my parents let me get them. I have to fax the designs to them beforehand.”
Aleksandar Pavlovic
One of the rare tattooed Euro players in the league, Pavlovic has text on his forearm and a tiger on his ankle.
Paul Pierce
In 2010 he got his nickname, “The Truth” tattooed on his forearm, garnished with a couple of clever references to the game: a clover for the Celtics and a pair of dice reading 3 and 4 (his jersey number is 34).
Rajon Rondo
Although it can’t be seen on the court, Rondo has the Rolls Royce logo inked on his back, a gentle reference to his initials.
Von Wafer
Has a few tattoos, including a cobweb on his elbow, representing his struggle.
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:
Ray Allen
Avery Bradley
Jeff Green
Nenad Krstic
Troy Murphy
