Memphis Grizzlies, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 71% (10 players with tattoos, 4 without)
Players with tattoos:
Gilbert Arenas
The Washington Post website has a great video of Arenas talking through his tattoos. When they come to the tiger that covers most of his stomach, the interviewer asks “why the tiger?” to which Arenas replies: “That’s what I am a fierce beast, king of the jungle.” The reporter replies that many people believe that the lion is king of the jungle, but in Agent Zero’s usual enigmatic way, he replies simply, and definitively: “Tiger’s king of the jungle.”
Darrell Arthur
Arthur has a great tattoo on his back.
Mike Conley
Conley has tattoos on both arms.
Dante Cunningham
As of his senior year of college (2009), Cunningham has nine tattoos, including one that reads “TROUBLE” on his left arm.
Rudy Gay
In February of 2011, Gay separated his shoulder in a season-ending injury that required seven months of rehab. The down time sent Gay into new territory, as reported by the website Go Grizzlies on the one-year anniversary of his injury: “I tried not to get depressed but it happened,” Gay said. “I was doing stuff I normally wouldn’t do and I’ve got tattoos to show for it.”
Hamed Haddadi
The NBA’s first Iranian player has a stylized dragon tattooed on his left shoulder.
O.J. Mayo
While still in high school, Mayo had his childhood nickname, “Juice Monster,” and his hoped-for nickname, “King Kong,” (“I’d like that to be my motto; I’m King Kong of the court,” he said in 2007) tattooed on his arms.
Zach Randolph
Randolph has tattoos on both arms.
Josh Selby
Selby is one of four Kansas Jayhawks with a “FOE” tattoo, which stands for “Family Over Everything.” The other three are Thomas Robinson and the Morris twins. Selby was the originator, however, having added the design while in eighth grade. Selby is rumored to have a tattoo that reads “Only God Can Guard Me” which flips the common NBA tattoo Only God Can Judge Me sported by Kevin Garnett, Mike Bibby, and Derrick Rose among others. Sadly, there’s no confirmation or photographic proof of the design.
Marreese Speights
Speights has several tattoos on his arms, including his mother’s name on his forearm.
Players without tattoos:
Tony Allen
Marc Gasol
Jeremy Pargo: Pargo doesn’t have any tattoos, but Wale has him almost convinced to start
Quincy Pondexter
No longer on roster:
Josh Davis: no tattoos
Brian Skinner: tattoos on both arms
Memphis Grizzlies, 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 36% (5 players with tattoos, 9 without)
A lot of talk about how the Grizzlies came out of nowhere in these playoffs. Definitely watching them take out the Spurs was the best story of the first round, and on a personal level, having watched Z-Bo in Portland and in New York, I’m happy to see him playing so well. Anyway, I guess “out of nowhere” means “there aren’t a lot of photos of them on the internet” because I really can’t find great evidence or images of their tattoos. Sorry.
—
Players with tattoos:
Darrell Arthur
Arthur has tattoos on both shoulders and a “King Arthur” backpiece.
Mike Conley
Conley has a tattoo on his left shoulder.
Hamed Haddadi
On Haddadi’s left shoulder is a stylized dragon.
O.J. Mayo
“Juice Monster” is a crazy tattoo, even if it was Mayo’s childhood nickname. His “dedication” and “sacrifice” bicep tattoos are meaningful, but it’s his King Kong design that speaks the most: “I’d like that to be my motto; I’m King Kong of the court,” he said in a 2007 interview.
Zach Randolph
Randolph has tattoos on both arms. Nike had him pose with a sword once.
Players without tattoos:
Tony Allen
Shane Battier: Asked he ever wanted a tattoo, Battier confessed, “No. You know what, I’m not cool enough to pull it off. If I got one it’d be really dorky — it would look funny on me.”
Marc Gasol
Rudy Gay
Xavier Henry
Leon Powe
Ishmael Smith
Greivis Vasquez
Sam Young
Memphis Grizzlies, 2011-12
Tattoo percentage: 71% (10 players with tattoos, 4 without)
Players with tattoos:
Gilbert Arenas
The Washington Post website has a great video of Arenas talking through his tattoos. When they come to the tiger that covers most of his stomach, the interviewer asks “why the tiger?” to which Arenas replies: “That’s what I am a fierce beast, king of the jungle.” The reporter replies that many people believe that the lion is king of the jungle, but in Agent Zero’s usual enigmatic way, he replies simply, and definitively: “Tiger’s king of the jungle.”
Darrell Arthur
Arthur has a great tattoo on his back.
Mike Conley
Conley has tattoos on both arms.
Dante Cunningham
As of his senior year of college (2009), Cunningham has nine tattoos, including one that reads “TROUBLE” on his left arm.
Rudy Gay
In February of 2011, Gay separated his shoulder in a season-ending injury that required seven months of rehab. The down time sent Gay into new territory, as reported by the website Go Grizzlies on the one-year anniversary of his injury: “I tried not to get depressed but it happened,” Gay said. “I was doing stuff I normally wouldn’t do and I’ve got tattoos to show for it.”
Hamed Haddadi
The NBA’s first Iranian player has a stylized dragon tattooed on his left shoulder.
O.J. Mayo
While still in high school, Mayo had his childhood nickname, “Juice Monster,” and his hoped-for nickname, “King Kong,” (“I’d like that to be my motto; I’m King Kong of the court,” he said in 2007) tattooed on his arms.
Zach Randolph
Randolph has tattoos on both arms.
Josh Selby
Selby is one of four Kansas Jayhawks with a “FOE” tattoo, which stands for “Family Over Everything.” The other three are Thomas Robinson and the Morris twins. Selby was the originator, however, having added the design while in eighth grade. Selby is rumored to have a tattoo that reads “Only God Can Guard Me” which flips the common NBA tattoo Only God Can Judge Me sported by Kevin Garnett, Mike Bibby, and Derrick Rose among others. Sadly, there’s no confirmation or photographic proof of the design.
Marreese Speights
Speights has several tattoos on his arms, including his mother’s name on his forearm.
Players without tattoos:
Tony Allen
Marc Gasol
Jeremy Pargo: Pargo doesn’t have any tattoos, but Wale has him almost convinced to start
Quincy Pondexter
No longer on roster:
Josh Davis: no tattoos
Brian Skinner: tattoos on both arms
Memphis Grizzlies, 2010-11
Tattoo percentage: 36% (5 players with tattoos, 9 without)
A lot of talk about how the Grizzlies came out of nowhere in these playoffs. Definitely watching them take out the Spurs was the best story of the first round, and on a personal level, having watched Z-Bo in Portland and in New York, I’m happy to see him playing so well. Anyway, I guess “out of nowhere” means “there aren’t a lot of photos of them on the internet” because I really can’t find great evidence or images of their tattoos. Sorry.
—
Players with tattoos:
Darrell Arthur
Arthur has tattoos on both shoulders and a “King Arthur” backpiece.
Mike Conley
Conley has a tattoo on his left shoulder.
Hamed Haddadi
On Haddadi’s left shoulder is a stylized dragon.
O.J. Mayo
“Juice Monster” is a crazy tattoo, even if it was Mayo’s childhood nickname. His “dedication” and “sacrifice” bicep tattoos are meaningful, but it’s his King Kong design that speaks the most: “I’d like that to be my motto; I’m King Kong of the court,” he said in a 2007 interview.
Zach Randolph
Randolph has tattoos on both arms. Nike had him pose with a sword once.
Players without tattoos:
Tony Allen
Shane Battier: Asked he ever wanted a tattoo, Battier confessed, “No. You know what, I’m not cool enough to pull it off. If I got one it’d be really dorky — it would look funny on me.”
Marc Gasol
Rudy Gay
Xavier Henry
Leon Powe
Ishmael Smith
Greivis Vasquez
Sam Young
