25 Basketball Tattoos That Are Absolute Slam Dunks
Is basketball your religion? Is the court your church? For some fans, basketball is everything. What’s not to love about the team sport? There’s drama, excitement, highs, lows, and everything you’d want from any form of entertainment. Some people dedicate their bodies, well, not their bodies, but their skin to their love of the game. Tattoos inspired by basketball are extremely popular.
We decided to take a look at some recent basketball tattoos to see what teams, players, and more were inspiring tattoos these days. From team logos to portraits of beloved athletes, we found a mix of things ranging from hilarious to touching. Here are 25 of the best basketball tattoos out there. Get ready to dunk.
The Game
Here, we find a game inside a game. A vintage arcade game, NBA Jam is a fitting retro tattoo. This is one of the most unique tattoos on the list. We love it.
Hoop Dreams
Here’s a person who really enjoys studying those plays. The very imaginative tattoo design is a very creative example.
True Love
Does your heart beat to the sound of a basketball dribble? Here, we find a heart containing a ball. It’s the perfect visualization for how we all feel deep down.
23
Wow! This mildly photorealistic tattoo of Michael Jordan dunking is something else. There’s so much energy here.
B-Ball
This basketball tattoo is a little love letter to the game. Inside the ball, words like “hoop” and “hustle” fill the space. A very inspired design!
Hoop
She shoots, she scores! While this isn’t the most original idea, the netting of the hoop is extremely well done.
The Force
Who do you think would win in a match against baby Yoda? We imagine he’d probably beat any player at a one-on-one.
Kobe
We came across several Kobe Bryant tribute tattoos. This is one haunting example that expresses how much impact the player had on this individual.
RELATED: A Street Near Staples Center To Be Named After Legendary Laker Kobe Bryant
Kobe By Way of Mickey
Here, we find a slight nod to Bryant with his signature and number on the ball. We love the Mickey Mouse hand spinning the ball.
LeBron
As you might expect, we found a lot of LeBron James love out there too. Sports fans love the player and many have opted for elaborate portrait tattoos like this one.
Minimal
Unlike the last design, this very minimal tattoo of a basketball is effective in its simplicity. We love the shading and how it almost gives an ombré effect.
Better Days
The person who shared this image used the caption: “trash basket.” It’s unlike any other tattoo on the list.
EarthBall
We’ve maintained a healthy suspicion that the Earth is just one giant, blue basketball for some time now. No, seriously, what is going on here?
MJ
By far, one of the most popular subjects for basketball tats is MJ. Here, we see his iconic silhouette as he soars through the air.
Space Jam
We didn’t expect to see an entire Space Jam sleeve, but here we are. Look at that expression on Bugs Bunny’s face! Priceless!
A Mood
This mellow scene of a sunny beachside court brings back fond memories. Done in just black and grey ink this tattoo is a chill winner.
The Scene
Conversely, you can go full-color on this theme for a sunset tattoo like this one. We love the way the hoop is done in just black ink.
Devil
Here’s the second appearance of the Tasmanian Devil Looney Tune on our list. This watercolor design is so awesome.
Sharp
You don’t have to go all out for a show stopping tattoo. Here, we find a simple net and ball done with the finest of lines.
The Greatest
Here, we find MJ again in this photorealistic portrait tattoo. Look at how the artist has captured beads of sweat!
Dennis
One of the least most popular individuals we saw tattooed, Dennis Rodman has been lovingly applied for this portrait. Okay!
Pretty Fly
Do we know why this basketball has wings? Nope! Do we care? Double nope.
Zero Gravity
Another odd one, here we find a skeleton dunking what appears to be a planet, Saturn? We have no idea, but we like it.
NBAlien
Here’s another LeBron James tattoo. This very stylized design made for an excellent tat.
RELATED: LeBron James Rookie Basketball Card Sets a Record for Most Expensive Card Ever at $1.8 Million
Don’t Stop
Don’t give up, folks! Keep your head in the game and we’ll all be all right. This simple black and grey tattoo says it all.
There you go! 25 basketball tattoos that we hope you enjoyed. We also hope you feel inspired by these images to get some ink of your own!
Chicago based writer who enjoys finding the best of the internet. Cheese and crackers are a mood.
Contents
- 1 25 Basketball Tattoos That Are Absolute Slam Dunks
- 2 The Game
- 3 Hoop Dreams
- 4 True Love
- 5 23
- 6 B-Ball
- 7 Hoop
- 8 The Force
- 9 Kobe
- 10 Kobe By Way of Mickey
- 11 LeBron
- 12 Minimal
- 13 Better Days
- 14 EarthBall
- 15 MJ
- 16 Space Jam
- 17 A Mood
- 18 The Scene
- 19 Devil
- 20 Sharp
- 21 The Greatest
- 22 Dennis
- 23 Pretty Fly
- 24 Zero Gravity
- 25 NBAlien
- 26 Don’t Stop
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