A Closer Look At 17 LeBron James Tattoos And What They Mean

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LeBron James might be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but we’re not here to talk about the player’s game. We’re here to talk about the many LeBron James tattoos that seem to take the world by storm every time the King decides to get inked. LeBron’s tattoos range from heartfelt displays of love for his family to symbols of his strength and permanent celebrations of his success.

LeBron clearly spent quite a lot of time in the tattoo chair, and we’re more than happy to explore the meanings behind the various works of art he’s been sporting lately. With that out of the way, we’re bringing you a complete guide to all the LeBron James tattoos that serve as a constant reminder of how great he truly is.

1. The “Chosen 1” tattoo on his back

We’re starting with one of LeBron’s biggest, boldest tattoos, and it’s a tattoo of the phrase “Chosen 1” written in large letters across his upper back. LeBron got this tattoo after his first cover story in the 2002 February 18 issue of the famed sports magazine Sports Illustrated in which he was hailed as “The Chosen One.” The player enjoyed the nickname so much that he decided to fully embrace it with a tattoo on his upper back.

2. The tattoo of his daughter’s face on his back

LeBron is famous for showing off his love for his family every chance he gets, and we’re not surprised that the player decided to get tattoos of all his children. LeBron got a tattoo of his daughter Zhuri’s face to celebrate her birthday. The tattoo features Zhuri as a toddler on LeBron’s back and it’s meant to be a heart-warming display of the player’s affection.

3. The “Witness” tattoo on his leg

While most of LeBron’s tattoos seem to be placed on the upper part of his body, the player does have two word tattoos on his legs, too. One of them is a tattoo of the word “Witness” placed on his right calf. While we don’t know the exact meaning of the tattoo, LeBron got it after a successful run during the NBA playoffs in 2006.

4. The “History” tattoo on his leg

Although he got this tattoo four years after the “Witness” tattoo, LeBron decided to match the two tattoos by getting it inked on his left calf in the same font as the previous one. And, this tattoo is another reference to his greatness in the sport of basketball.

5. The “Mamba 4 Life” tattoo on his thigh

LeBron got a tattoo devoted to one of his best friends Kobe Bryant, another legendary basketball player, just days after his tragic passing. LeBron wanted to pay tribute to Kobe by getting a tattoo of a black mamba, Bryant’s nickname, the number 24, Bryant’s jersey number, and the phrase “Mamba 4 Life.”

6. The tattoo of a lion with a crown on his arm

Although LeBron collected quite a few arm tattoos over time, the tattoo of a lion’s head with a crown was one of the first arm tattoos he ever got. The lion head was meant to represent his strength and resilience, as well as celebrate his success as one of the world’s biggest basketball players. The player added a couple of tattoos around the lion’s head, too, but more on that down below.

7. The “330” tattoo on his forearm

The “330” tattoo is located on LeBron’s right forearm and it was one of his first forearm tattoos, too. It was meant to represent his hometown of Akron, Ohio, and serve as a reminder of his roots. It’s pretty much the number of the area code of Akron, Ohio.

8. The “Gloria” tattoo on his arm

We already mentioned that LeBron doesn’t mind raving about how much he loves his family, and his love certainly translates to his tattoos. LeBron credits his mom for much of his success and it’s no surprise that he decided to get her name tattooed on his upper arm, right above the lion’s head.

9. The tattoo of his son’s face on his forearm

When LeBron celebrated his son’s first birthday, he decided to get a tattoo of his portrait on the inside of his left forearm. So, when you take a closer look at the player’s left forearm, you’ll notice a portrait of Bronny James’ adorable little face.

10. The “King James” tattoo on his bicep

LeBron certainly likes to celebrate his status as one of the greatest basketball players of all time and his influence on the game. Among other tattoos, the player has his nickname “King James” tattooed on his upper arm, around the lion’s head.

11. The tattoo of his son’s name on his forearm

LeBron didn’t forget to celebrate his second son, Bryce Maximus James, with a tattoo, either. Unlike Bronny’s portrait, though, LeBron decided to get Bryce’s name tattooed on his right forearm and celebrate him with a smaller ink.

12. The family portrait tattoo on his forearm

We’re not kidding – LeBron James has a family portrait tattoo featuring his wife, children, and his mother on his right forearm, too. We can only assume that this tattoo is a tribute to the most important people in his life and his way of thanking his family for always having his back.

13. The lion tattoo on his chest

The player seems to be quite a big fan of lions because he has another lion tattoo, this time on his chest. This tattoo features a winged lion which can be interpreted in a million ways. The lion tattoo seems to have stirred quite a few conversations, with LeBron’s fans wondering whether he’s paying homage to his faith or admitting to being a part of the Boule Group, a secretive society of elite black men. The world might never know!

14. The “Loyalty” tattoo on the left side of his stomach

Although LeBron’s tattoos are mainly located on his arm, the player does have two tattoos running down the sides of his stomach. On the left side of his stomach, he has a tattoo of the word “Loyalty” which seems to be another tribute to his family.

15. The “Family” tattoo on the right side of his stomach

On the right side of his stomach, the player has a tattoo of the word “Family” which is why we believe that these two tattoos represent how much LeBron’s family means to him. Both tattoos are written in the same font, too, which makes us believe that they’re connected.

16. The tattoo of his own initials on his triceps

LeBron has his own initials tattooed on his triceps, too. The letter “L” can be found on his left tricep and the letter “J” on his right tricep. The player certainly didn’t care about what the world was going to think of him getting a tattoo of his own initials. That was such a power move.

17. The tattoo of “Est. 1984” and “Akron” on his shoulders

Last but not least, Lebron has a tattoo of the word “Akron” on his right shoulder and “Est. 1984” on his left shoulder. Akron, as we mentioned before, represents his hometown and his roots. And the latter tattoo represents LeBron’s birthday.