Jayson Tatum has one of the most aesthetically pleasing play styles in all of basketball.
The Celtics star has made a career off of leaving defenders in a wake, blending yoyo-like handles with agility, quickness and athleticism to great effect. A three-time member of the All-NBA First Team, Tatum, still just 26 years old, appears destined to take his game to new heights in the coming few seasons. He could find himself in uncharted territory sooner rather than later: Boston has as good a chance as any side to not only earn a spot in the NBA Finals but win it all.
As the most prominent player on one of basketball's most prominent teams, Tatum's every move draws attention. So too does the artwork that adorns his skin. Much like his basketball idols, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, Tatum is teeming with artistic vigor, a quality he shows off with his ink.
Here's a look at some of Tatum's most prominent tattoos – and the stories behind them.
MORE: The meanings behind Luka Doncic's back and arm tattoos
Jayson Tatum's tattoos, explained
Jayson Tatum's back tattoo
Tatum linked up with Canadian tattoo artist Steve Wiebe multiple times to turn his vision of a love letter to his beloved St. Louis into life. Wiebe is a tattooist of the stars, working with Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and the late rapper Nipsey Hussle, among others.
Wiebe scrawled a massive piece across the upper-leftmost part of Tatum's back. It offers a hint into Tatum's local influences, featuring an "Archer Ave." street sign, his childhood home and a young boy looking longingly towards a hoop that resides over a garage.
The piece de resistance of Tatum's latest back piece are the words "U. City," a youth football side Tatum ostensibly played for during his childhood.
The pair also linked to craft perhaps Tatum's most well-known piece, a sprawling design that says "God's Will" in all caps. Beneath it lies a term written in smaller cursive font: "Proverbs 3:5-6," while the center line of his back comes equipped with a pattern depicting Jesus Christ being crucified on the cross.
Tatum has added to his body art on his back over the years. He recently etched a silhouette of his signature shoe, the Jordan Tatums, on his lower back. He also has a piece displaying his initials (and nickname) JT. And there are further details that have yet to be revealed on the lower left quadrant of his back.
All of that is to say, Tatum has made his back into quite the canvas to express himself through.
Jayson Tatum leg tattoos
Never one to be outdone, Tatum turned his legs into blank slates for artistic expression. His left leg is the primary source of artistic inspiration. It features a handful of intricate patterns and designs, including one depicting characters from four of Tatum's favorite films: Denzel Washington as John Q., Will Smith as Hitch, Wesley Snipes as Sidney Deane and Spencer Fox as Dash Parr.
The films are placed in a collage that says "Life," a reference to the 1999 film which stars Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy.
Other images featured on Tatum's left leg include his old No. 0 and No. 22 jerseys at Duke and Chaminade (MO), two black mamba snakes in the shape of the number 24 (for Kobe Bryant), a pair of crossing checkered flags, a 98 (referencing the year he was born), the words "I Just Didn't Quit" and a picture of him and his mother, Brandy Cole, when Tatum was a child.
His thighs are also decked in color, with one tattoo portraying a mushroom cloud billowing into the air. It's accompanied by quite the caption: "St. Louis Until the World Blows."
The other thigh tat showcases him and his son Deuce cuddling with one another. It's aptly titled "like father, like son."
Jayson Tatum hand tattoo
Tatum has just one tattoo on his hand at present. It's fairly self-explanatory; it reads "Big Deuce" in reference to his young son.
Tatum has a few more tattoos strewn across the surface of his body. However, some of them — particularly those on the inside of his wrists — are fairly indiscernible in photos.
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