Zion Williamson’s New Tattoo Pays Tribute to “Naruto”

Basketball, anime, and tattoos—an unusual combination? Not for Zion Williamson. The New Orleans Pelicans forward is often in the sports headlines—sometimes for his incredible plays, sometimes due to injuries—but he also knows how to surprise fans off the court.

This time, Williamson got a new tattoo on his stomach, referencing the anime Naruto. The design replicates one of the symbols from the manga universe, which, according to the fan site Narutopedia, is used to seal powerful enemies and evil spirits. Perhaps Zion hopes to protect himself from future injuries or, who knows, maybe from online haters.

Who Tattooed Williamson?

The first photos of the tattoo were shared by Instagram account @inkbynova—a tattoo artist from Louisiana who had previously worked with Williamson in 2023.

Why “Naruto”?

Zion’s love for anime isn’t just a passing interest. In a 2022 interview with GQ, he revealed that 80% of NBA players watch anime, and he even attended a Comic-Con panel dedicated to Naruto.

But what’s even more interesting is that Zion sees himself in the main character’s journey:

“For a long time, nobody took Naruto seriously,” he said in an interview.
“Then he trained with Jiraiya for three years and returned as a legend at 16.”

For Zion, his own “Jiraiya” is his stepfather, Lee Anderson, who has helped shape him into the player we know today.

How Is Williamson Performing This Season?

Despite averaging 24.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, Williamson has only played in 21 out of 58 Pelicans games so far.

Let’s hope his new tattoo brings him strength and luck, not just cool social media photos!