Philadelphia 76ers, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos, 8 without)
Despite still being below the league average, the tattoo percentage for the Sixers actually went up from last year.
Players with tattoos:
Kwame Brown
Brown has a tattoo on his left shoulder.
Royal Ivey
Harlem native Ivey has a massive tribute to New York City tattooed on his back.
Arnett Moultrie
Moultrie has tattoos on both arms.
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.
Damien Wilkins
Photographer Janet Klinger made some portraits of Wilkins and his wife that show off the tattoos on his chest and arm.
Dorell Wright
One of the most recognizable of Wright’s many tattoos is the text “G.H.O.S.T.” on his left shoulder. As Wright described to Inked Magazine, “I know that pops out because I see that one on the video games… It’s something me and one of my closest friends thought of, Go Hard Or Stop Trying.”
Nick Young
As described in a 2012 interview for Complex Sports, Young’s most recent tattoo is the text “In Swag We Trust” on his left forearm.
Players without tattoos:
Lavoy Allen
Andrew Bynum
Spencer Hawes
Jrue Holiday: notice that Holiday was listed as having a tattoo for the past two years, based on this photo. I now believe that was an error. Even though his face wasn’t visible, I trusted the caption on this webpage which poked fun at the design. I was further convinced by the fact that the design includes “21” which was Holiday’s jersey number at UCLA. However, revisiting the photo this year, I’m less convinced it’s an image of Holiday, as the number 8 seems visible on the subject’s left bicep, a tattoo I know Holiday doesn’t have. Besides, as an L.A. native, why would he wear a Nationals hat? Finally, a Philadelphia Daily News article about Holiday’s family from February 2013 mentions that tattoos are forbidden by his parents.
Justin Holiday
Charles Jenkins
Evan Turner
Thaddeus Young
Milwaukee Bucks, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos; 8 without)
The Bucks were one of the most heavily tattooed teams last year, but with the loss of John Salmons, Corey Maggette, and, most notably, Chris Douglas-Roberts, their numbers have fallen this year, even with the addition of Monta Ellis.
Players with tattoos:
Jon Brockman
Brockman and his two siblings all have a tattoo of the Tree of Life. According to their father, “it’s not a real popular topic in our household.” According to Brockman, “it’s something close to me and it reminds me of my brother and sister when I don’t get to see them for a long time. So I like it.”
Kwame Brown
Has a tattoo below his right elbow.
Carlos Delfino
There’s something about the stylized, bold lines of Delfino’s dragon tattoo that makes me think it’s a logo or from a flag or something, but I’ve never found any corollary. Someone did get a copy of it in 2009….
Monta Ellis
One of the most heavily tattooed players in the league, Ellis got his start the summer following his rookie year, according to a 2010 USA Today profile: “It started four years ago, when Ellis, 25, who admits to being bored and a homebody, was back home in Jackson, Miss., and Memphis. He got 14 tattoos during an offseason.” According to an interview with Randy Wittman of Tattoos by Randy, whose done most of Ellis’s tattoos, including his well loved chest and back pieces, Ellis can sit for 8-10 hour sessions, which kind of breaks my mind.
Drew Gooden
Gooden has historically put a lot of effort into unconventional looks, such as this haircut or this beard. A 2007 Akron Beacon-Journal article focuses on Gooden’s then-recent tattoo, his first new work since he was 15 years old. The article reports that the tattoo is Dali-like, featuring a melting clock, set to 11:11 for good luck. At opposite sides of the clock a pair of angels and a devil observe time, completing this fittingly outlandish design for Gooden. Still, not really beats actually seeing it.
Brandon Jennings
L.A. native Jennings was two years old when N.W.A.’s Efil4zaggin came out, but the record clearly had an impact on Jennings, as evidenced by the “Always Into Somethin’” tattoo on his calf. A couple years ago Jennings posted a photo of the album on tape, but it’s not really worth digging through his twitter pics to find it. Sorry.
Larry Sanders
Last fall Sanders was featured on the internet TV show “Marked Up” where he discussed his path to becoming one of the NBA’s most heavily tattooed players. Interestingly, he gives partial credit to a college professor, who he described as “sleeved up.”
Players without tattoos:
Mike Dunleavy
Tobias Harris
Ersan Ilyasova
Jon Leuer
Shaun Livingston
Luc Mbah a Moute
Ekpe Udoh
Bene Udrih
Players no longer on roster:
Darington Hobson: no tattoos
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
Philadelphia 76ers, 2012-13
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos, 8 without)
Despite still being below the league average, the tattoo percentage for the Sixers actually went up from last year.
Players with tattoos:
Kwame Brown
Brown has a tattoo on his left shoulder.
Royal Ivey
Harlem native Ivey has a massive tribute to New York City tattooed on his back.
Arnett Moultrie
Moultrie has tattoos on both arms.
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.
Damien Wilkins
Photographer Janet Klinger made some portraits of Wilkins and his wife that show off the tattoos on his chest and arm.
Dorell Wright
One of the most recognizable of Wright’s many tattoos is the text “G.H.O.S.T.” on his left shoulder. As Wright described to Inked Magazine, “I know that pops out because I see that one on the video games… It’s something me and one of my closest friends thought of, Go Hard Or Stop Trying.”
Nick Young
As described in a 2012 interview for Complex Sports, Young’s most recent tattoo is the text “In Swag We Trust” on his left forearm.
Players without tattoos:
Lavoy Allen
Andrew Bynum
Spencer Hawes
Jrue Holiday: notice that Holiday was listed as having a tattoo for the past two years, based on this photo. I now believe that was an error. Even though his face wasn’t visible, I trusted the caption on this webpage which poked fun at the design. I was further convinced by the fact that the design includes “21” which was Holiday’s jersey number at UCLA. However, revisiting the photo this year, I’m less convinced it’s an image of Holiday, as the number 8 seems visible on the subject’s left bicep, a tattoo I know Holiday doesn’t have. Besides, as an L.A. native, why would he wear a Nationals hat? Finally, a Philadelphia Daily News article about Holiday’s family from February 2013 mentions that tattoos are forbidden by his parents.
Justin Holiday
Charles Jenkins
Evan Turner
Thaddeus Young
Milwaukee Bucks, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 47% (7 players with tattoos; 8 without)
The Bucks were one of the most heavily tattooed teams last year, but with the loss of John Salmons, Corey Maggette, and, most notably, Chris Douglas-Roberts, their numbers have fallen this year, even with the addition of Monta Ellis.
Players with tattoos:
Jon Brockman
Brockman and his two siblings all have a tattoo of the Tree of Life. According to their father, “it’s not a real popular topic in our household.” According to Brockman, “it’s something close to me and it reminds me of my brother and sister when I don’t get to see them for a long time. So I like it.”
Kwame Brown
Has a tattoo below his right elbow.
Carlos Delfino
There’s something about the stylized, bold lines of Delfino’s dragon tattoo that makes me think it’s a logo or from a flag or something, but I’ve never found any corollary. Someone did get a copy of it in 2009….
Monta Ellis
One of the most heavily tattooed players in the league, Ellis got his start the summer following his rookie year, according to a 2010 USA Today profile: “It started four years ago, when Ellis, 25, who admits to being bored and a homebody, was back home in Jackson, Miss., and Memphis. He got 14 tattoos during an offseason.” According to an interview with Randy Wittman of Tattoos by Randy, whose done most of Ellis’s tattoos, including his well loved chest and back pieces, Ellis can sit for 8-10 hour sessions, which kind of breaks my mind.
Drew Gooden
Gooden has historically put a lot of effort into unconventional looks, such as this haircut or this beard. A 2007 Akron Beacon-Journal article focuses on Gooden’s then-recent tattoo, his first new work since he was 15 years old. The article reports that the tattoo is Dali-like, featuring a melting clock, set to 11:11 for good luck. At opposite sides of the clock a pair of angels and a devil observe time, completing this fittingly outlandish design for Gooden. Still, not really beats actually seeing it.
Brandon Jennings
L.A. native Jennings was two years old when N.W.A.’s Efil4zaggin came out, but the record clearly had an impact on Jennings, as evidenced by the “Always Into Somethin’” tattoo on his calf. A couple years ago Jennings posted a photo of the album on tape, but it’s not really worth digging through his twitter pics to find it. Sorry.
Larry Sanders
Last fall Sanders was featured on the internet TV show “Marked Up” where he discussed his path to becoming one of the NBA’s most heavily tattooed players. Interestingly, he gives partial credit to a college professor, who he described as “sleeved up.”
Players without tattoos:
Mike Dunleavy
Tobias Harris
Ersan Ilyasova
Jon Leuer
Shaun Livingston
Luc Mbah a Moute
Ekpe Udoh
Bene Udrih
Players no longer on roster:
Darington Hobson: no tattoos
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
