Way before Ohio State booster/sherpa/tattoo shop owner Edward Rife started trading ink for memorabilia, tattoos became synonymous with professional athletes. It started in the early 90’s with guys like Dennis Rodman who were considered “rebels” or “loose cannons”. Nowadays you’d be hard-pressed to find a professional athlete that doesn’t have at least one tattoo. Not all ink is good ink, though. Some of the tattoos these guys get are downright ridiculous. Without further ado, here is Hook’s Top 10 Worst Tattoos in Sports.
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#10. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State QB “Live Life to it’s Fullest”
Getting a tattoo is a major decision that some people don’t put enough thought into. Unless you pay for expensive laser surgery, the ink is going to be on your body forever. The least you could do is proofread the message you’re tattooing on your arm before it’s permanent. See that, Brock? I used the word “it’s” correctly. I can only imagine what this genius got on the Wonderlic.
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#9. Stephen Jackson, San Antonio Spurs SG “Praying hands holding a gun”
The absurdity of this tattoo lands Jackson at #9 on my list. Nothing says “faith” like a set of praying hands pointing a glock at the sky. This would have been much higher on the list if the hands were holding the gun sideways.
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#8. Michael Beasley, Minnesota Timberwolves SF “Supercool Beas” & “God’s Son”
You know what’s super cool, Michael? Posting a pic on the internet of your brand new tat with a bag of weed on the coffee table to your right. Way to go, Beas. The lettering on this tattoo is actually well done, but what’s the deal with the “God’s Son” in a totally different font and the angel wings? This just doesn’t look right at all.
#7. DeShawn Stevenson, New Jersey Nets SG “5 Abraham Lincoln 5”
Apparently Stevenson originally just had Abe tattooed on his neck because, and I quote, “Slavery- he did away with it”. The 5’s were added later because apparently none of his boys recognized the portrait as the 16th President of the United States. Stevenson claims he would constantly get asked who it was. Good job DeShawn, you totally solved that problem.
#6. Stephon Marbury, Beijing Ducks PG “Starbury logo”
Getting your own logo is a major achievement few athletes have accomplished, but somehow I doubt Micheal Jordan has the Jumpman inked anywhere on his body. It’s not so much the tattoo itself, but the placement of it that boggles the mind. Sorry Stephon, getting the logo of your $15 shoes tatted on your dome was a terrible, terrible idea.
#5. Reggie Miller, Basketball Hall of Fame SG “Belly button sun”
Reggie Miller is one of the most clutch basketball players of all time. Any time he played at Madison Square Garden it was must-see TV. But I don’t care if he did score 8 points in 8.9 seconds, nothing can excuse this tattoo. A sun around your belly button? The fuck?
#4. Richard Jefferson, Golden State Warriors SF “RJ”
Regardless of what the ring of words says around this tattoo, the “RJ” with a basketball in the R is one of the worst tattoos I have ever seen on a person. Did one of his college buddies at Arizona get a tattoo gun and ink this on his arm while he was passed out after a night of partying? He would have been better off if someone drew a dick on his cheek with a sharpie. At least that washes off after a little scrubbing.
#3. Luke Walton, Cleveland Cavaliers SF “Stick figures dribbling in a circle”
I think RJ and Walton may have gone to the same tattoo artist. How long did this bad boy take? 5, 6 minutes? Note to self: NEVER get a tattoo in Arizona.
#2. Melvin Costa, MMA “Swastika” & “I have a small penis”
Wow. Just, wow. I could have included many MMA fighters on this list as professional fighting seems to be a breeding ground for terrible tattoos, but Brock Lesnar’s phallic sword has nothing on Melvin Costa. The self-proclaimed “white nationalist” has been in prison which explains his Arian tattoo* (although nothing can excuse it), and I guess the other tat speaks for itself. In interviews he seems almost naive about the hateful ink on his chest which is very, very sad. How could this not be #1 you ask? Just wait…
*the swastika tattoo has been cropped out on purpose due to its overly offensive nature.
#1. Marquis Daniels, Boston Celtics SG “Only the strong survive”
How do you top a hateful tattoo AND a declaration of the need for Extenze? Tattoo a suicide on your arm with the caption “Only the strong survive”. When I say I am at a loss for words I mean I completely have no idea what to say about this one.
Did I leave anybody out (minus Mike Tyson, his face tat is crazy but it fits his personality so I intentionally left him off the list)? If so let me know in the comments section.
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