Since being drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 2003, Carmelo Anthony, then from Syracuse University eventually shot up to the ranks of NBA icons as one of the most feared scorers in the league. Back in 2003, Lebron James was the first pick overall, Melo was the third. Today, however, we're going to talk about Carmelo Anthony tattoos.
He played his highest scoring number with the Nuggets in the 2006-2007 season as he averaged 28.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. But this was only the beginning for Melo. In 2014 as a Knicks forward, Carmelo Anthony shot a career high of 62 points against the Charlotte Bobcats, setting the single-game scoring record in Madison Square Garden history
Carmelo Anthony tattoos
The 10-time All Star and the 3-time Olympic Gold medalist is indeed one of the most-decorated players in the league. With more than 20 tattoos on his body, Melo definitely doesn’t hold back with his statements.
CA Basketball on right bicep
Melo started getting tattoos even when he was young. The first version of this tat was simply a basketball with Melo’s initials “C” and “A”. He eventually added flames to the ball perhaps to signify his undying love for the game. Maybe it’s also an allusion to him setting many arenas on fire with his scoring versatility.
West Baltimore on left shoulder
This Melo tattoo is often confused with the Warner Brothers logo. But really, The “WB” actually stands for West Baltimore thus Melo’s homage to childhood home.
Bulldog Playing cards left shoulder
Another more noticeable ink on Melo is the bulldog. This tat is perfect for Melo as he is definitely one of the bigger dogs to watch out for in the league despite his veteran status.
Puerto Rican flag right hand
Like many NBA players, they choose to dedicate some inks to their families. This one is dedicated to Melo’s father who was Puerto Rican
Kiyan
Melo has two tattoos for his son Kiyan. On his right pec is Kiyan’s full name “Kiyan Carmelo Anthony”, followed by his birthdate, “March 7, 2007”. To complete the package, Melo also inked his son’s footprints beside them.
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Melo also has a more exposed tattoo of his son’s name on his left elbow. On both elbows, Melo also has inked spiderwebs.
Dagger with a snake on right forearm
This is one of the darker tattoos on Melo. On top of the snake it reads: NO ONE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO FEEL MY PAIN”. In fact, this is only the first of Melo’s tattoos that greatly depict the 6-foot-8 veteran’s priority of trust.
“When The Grass Is Cut The Snakes Will Show” on left bicep and “Who Can I trust” on the right
Cryptic and mysterious – that’s the message this tattoo is sending. But let that not scare you off, the 16-year veteran is a natural floor leader and this ink is just among his many tats which represents his respect for the virtue of loyalty.
Trust, Loyalty, Honesty
Melo’s trust tattoo is on his left hand while “loyalty” and “honesty” are behind his arms. Now these words, like the previous tattoos mentioned, may not allude directly to particular NBA teams. But they can surely be tied back to the veteran’s topsy-turvy career and free agency in the past two years.
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Melo played for many teams since 2003 with his longest tenures as a Nugget and as a Knick. He eventually found his way to the Houston Rockets but after only 10 games, he was immediately booted out of the franchise.
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The move stunned the league but most of all it shocked Melo as he found his career out-of-balance and unsure. After a year-long hiatus and free agency, he made his debut as a Trailblazer in the last season.
“No Struggle, No Progress” on his collarbone and “Determination” and Dedication” on shoulder blades
As mentioned, Melo has a lot of “statement tattoos” and these just prove his tremendous work ethic on the floor. For Melo, “hardwork” as immortalized in his decorated career and body, definitely pays off.
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“Smile now, cry later” ink on right arm
Melo has a tat of the “comedy” and “tragedy” masks with the phrase: Live Now, Die Later — denoting a “smile now, cry later” mantra. When his career screeched to a halt, the scoring champion and his fans were devastated. But given his strong character in and out of the game, we all knew he was coming back someday.
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In a comeback feature for The Undefeated, Marc J. Spears writes:
When Anthony was asked what he learned about himself during his layoff, he told The Undefeated: “How I’m able to motivate people. I think overall the way that I stayed strong in the fight. I stayed there. … Burning and all, I stayed there. I never wavered. I stayed strong and I hope that is motivation for everyone else.”
City of Birds Tattoo on right forearm
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This is a beautiful piece of ink which includes a city landscape along with the words, ‘410’ and ‘City of Birds’ written in front of it. Just below it is a tattoo of a bird with open wings.
Psalm 25:7 on left pec
Melo is also God-fearing as he inks on his left pec the Bible verse:
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!
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Against the North on his abs
Inked in solid black on Melo’s abs is “Against the North”.
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Flames, Tribal designs, and boardgames
Melo used a lot of flame patterns in his arms tattoos. He also used dices and chessboard designs as backgrounds to some of his tattoos. These patterns are usually on Melo’s wrapped around the Blazer forward’s arms. But worth noting too, are his neck and back inks.
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Eye with teardrop on left bicep
Given his tremendous experience on the floor, the 36-year old veteran definitely has some inspirational words to impart. On the inside of his left bicep is a lone eye with a tear and below it, reads the words: Life is What You Make it.
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JA on the wrist, finger tattoo on wedding ring
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Tattoos, decorative and ornamenting as they seem, can serve as blueprints and maps for someone’s life. And despite recent, and rather seismic, blows to his basketball tenure, the 2013 NBA Scoring Champion with over 26,314 career points, proves that his love for the game, his commitment to his family, and his focus on character — rises above all.
Now you know everything you need to know about Carmelo Anthony tattoos.
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