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
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
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
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
