Jayson Tatum Tattoos: The Stories Behind His Ink and Their Meanings

Jayson Tatum has been up his game since he was drafted by the Boston Celtics back in 2017. With over 500 games under his belt, the power forward has made remarkable progress on the court. However, as much as fans are excited about his season, score, and wealth. There is another parameter that has made it to the list. His Tattoos!

It’s not uncommon for the players, be it in NBA or soccer or any other game to get themselves inked. But what matters the most behind the dark ink, is the meaning of each stroke that is permanently crafted on the player’s body. Similarly, the star Celtics player has inked himself. Particularly on his back, to commemorate his, faith mother, and the birth of his son among other occasions. And amidst the ode of tattoos inked on his body, fans certainly want to discover the story behind each of them.

Tatum is a believer! A devout Christian, with the caption, ‘In the Jesus name I play‘ in his Instagram account bio. And it is this faith that the player believes has bestowed humongous success in his life. And maybe to always remember his roots, he has one of the most striking faith tattoos! One is the giant words “God’s Will“ on his back concerning the “proverb 3: 5-6“inked right below it. Moreover, this should not be surprising as many times Tatum has thanked God with folded hands on the court itself! But this is not the only ink that is related to his deep faith! Another one is the “Cross with the Wings“, to serves as a reminder of a higher power with him and guiding him throughout.

Moving on from faith, the other thing that the Celtics player certainly cherishes is his family. He has many tattoos to keep his loved one always close to him. “Deuce“, the nickname of his son, that he shares with his high-school sweetheart. Every son is anticipated to be a favorite of their mothers. And it seems, so is the case with Tatum, as he got the proof inked on him, “Mama’s Boy”  along with his nickname “Lil’ J“.

This is not all the Celtics star, has even got his name “J.T.“ and his roots, “St. Louis” inked on him. Probably as a reminder of his hard work and his identity. With all the shine of fame and success, Tatum doesn’t want the lights to dim his focus on the game and the things that matter the most to him. Above all the reason for all his growth, was the basketball, which gave him wings to fly and achieve his dreams. To commemorate his dream come true, he has a “Basketball with Wings.“

But it seems that J.T. is not done with the inks yet. In September of 2023, the player got another tattoo on himself. ‘LIFE‘, Tatum’s fans would undoubtedly know his favorite movie, the 1999 comedy. Moreover, to express his deep love for the movies, the player has each letter filled with his favorite characters! Which included, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Wesley Snipes, and Dash! A mixed bag of emotions for the Boston Celtics power forward.

But this does make one ponder, as every tattoo has a story behind it. Does Tatum’s 0-number jersey also have something to tell?

The story behind Jayson Tatum’s O jersey number

Tatum had number 22 assigned during his high school days. Inspired by his mentor, and the NBA player Bradley Beal. However, during his university days, at Duke University,  Jersey number 22 was unavailable. Hence rose the need for a new number and certainly a new inspiration.

And the NBA player found his inspiration in  ‘Agent Zero‘. As a tribute to one of his favorite players, Gilbert Arenas, known for his clutch and the ability to take over the game. Every action has a premeditated and long thought process and it has certainly been true with Jayson Tatum, whether it’s the tattoos or the jersey!