The Drubbing

While watching a Denver Nuggets game last week I got to thinking, “Is there anyone on this team that doesn’t have sleeves?” There are a few, other than George Carl, but the list is a pretty short one. So after careful consideration, we’ve compiled a list of the Most Heavily Tattooed Teams in the NBA. We’ve ranked them from most to least, and cited the players with the most ink on each team. They key here is quantity of tattoos, not quality of the artwork (otherwise Steph’s head tattoo and all of Mike Bibby’s tats would automatically send them to the bottom of the list) nor quantity of players with tattoos, or the subject matter of their tattoos. We want lots of guys, with lots of tats. So here they are.

1. Denver

Melo, J.R., K-Mart, A-Carter, Birdman, B-B-B-Billups

2. New York Knicks

Starbury, Wil-Chan, Al Harrington, Eddy Curry, Nate Robinson

3. Phoenix

S.T.A.T., Shaq, Matt Barnes

4. Cleveland

LBJ, Mo Williams, Red, Big Ben, Shannon Brown

5. Atlanta

Mike Bibby, Marvin Williams, Acie Law IV

6. Utah

Deron Williams, B0000oozer

7. Golden State

Jacko, Jamal, Monta, C.J. Watson

8. Chicago

Derrick Rose, Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden

9. Detroit

A.I., Sheed

10. Indiana

Marquis Daniels, Brandon Rush

So there they are. The inkiest of the inked in the NBA. Just remember that in The Association, you’re not serious about tattoos until you have a neck tat like Larry Huges or Matt Barnes. And according to Eddie Curry, J.R. Smith is the man to beat right now.

“I used to think I had more [tattoos] than anybody else in the league, but I think J.R. Smith has me beat. His tattoos have tattoos.”

- Eddy Curry in the New York Post

Update: USA Today has posted a masterful A-to-Z roundup of tattoos in the NBA.