Many NBA players have gained recognition for their intricate and bizarre tattoo collections. However, they have yet to match the infamy of Atlanta Hawks’ reverse forward Mike Scott’s unique display of body art.
Mike Scott is the most popular NBA player with emoji tattoos. These tattoos gained him massive popularity during his 2014 tenure with the Atlanta Hawks. The tattoos have also set a trend, with many celebrities and individuals getting emoji tattoos themselves.
The rest of this article will explain the meaning behind these tattoos and the impact of Mike Scott’s body art on tattooing.
The Real Reason Mike Scott Has Emoji Tattoos
Tattoos are a popular form of body modification practiced by cultures worldwide for thousands of years. Typically sought out for decorative, functional, or symbolic purposes, tattoos have become very common in today’s society. This leaves us to wonder what the story behind the emojis is.
Mike Scott likes using emojis because they are expressive and convey things that can’t be spoken or written out in words. Being able to communicate without words is part of why Scott decided he needed to get these easy-to-understand emojis tattooed on his skin.
No matter how you feel about them as permanent tattoos, Mike Scott isn’t far off in his assessment of emojis. Although effective, written communication lacks the emotional charge and connotation available when talking face-to-face or over the phone. You can change that by using emojis. They add symbolism to text and can help you explain things more quickly.
In an interview with Mashable, Mike notes that he got the first of his emoji tattoos in 2013, and after that, he just kept getting more. The tattoos cover a significant portion of his body and remain his top choice for body art.
Trendsetting
Mike Scott is nothing short of a trendsetter and is well aware of his impact. He says, “People are doing it now, but no one else had it before I started getting into it. I dunno — I guess I started the trend. It’s a trend I see now, but for sure, no one had it when I started.”
Since Mike shocked the world with his unique body art, emojis have been spotted on all kinds of people, including celebrities. Global star, actor, singer, and rapper Drake has even joined in, getting a tattoo of the prayer-hands emoji. Another celebrity with emoji tattoos is the soccer star Neymar, who has multiple emojis tattooed on the back of his calves.
Emoji tattoos have become a quick and easy tattoo idea for people looking for a simple, easy-to-understand, and non-serious design. As the prevalent idea of tattoos needing to have deep meaning shifts, more people are getting light-hearted tattoos like emojis.
Final Thoughts
Tattoos have been an expressive and cultural staple since the begging of human history. In today’s society, there are plenty of examples of unique symbols people use to stand out.
In 2013, professional basketball player Mike Scott shook the world by using emojis to express his individualism. These tattoos soon became a trend, with many people getting emojis tattooed on themselves for personal and whimsical reasons.