Lonzo Ball’s new tattoo sleeve features incredible likenesses of iconic figures

Lonzo Ball has an amazing new tattoo sleeve that could and probably should be used in history lessons across the U.S.

Incredible likenesses of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Barack Obama, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson cover the left arm of the former Lakers point guard, who was traded to New Orleans earlier this summer as part of the deal that brought Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.

Arching above those images across Ball’s shoulder is a catchphrase made famous by slain rapper Nipsey Hussle, “The Marathon Continues.”

“Was an honor to put these influential people on your arm brother,” tattoo artist Steve Butcher wrote on Instagram to go with a video displaying the eye-popping art.

Ball has been revealing glimpses of the sleeve on Instagram during the past week.

Ball didn’t have any tattoos when the Lakers drafted him at No. 2 overall in 2017. It wasn’t until he was sidelined with a sprained MCL the following winter that Ball decided to get a couple of small ones on his wrists. One said, “motivated by Jesus, dedicated to the game,” along with an image of a cross; the other reads “born to ball because of him,” along with Ball’s birthday.

“My dad was pretty mad the first time,” Ball told The Times’ Tania Ganguli in 2018. “I used to have wristbands but they all snapped off so I figured I’d put them there permanently.”

Even LaVar Ball has got to approve of the new ones. They are truly stunning.