Marcin Gortat is one of the most reliable centers of the 2010s. The center made his name as a member of the Washington Wizards, being a fantastic complementary piece next to point guard John Wall during his prime. However, the Polish center got his start in 2005 as a second-round draft pick by the Phoenix Suns.
He ended up making his NBA debut with the Orlando Magic and played for 3 seasons with the team, being a part of the NBA Finals team that lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009. Gortat has a unique quirk that few NBA players have, and that is a Michael Jordan ‘Jumpman’ tattoo on his leg.
There is not a single day that goes by in which I don’t ponder to myself why in the mf Marcin Gortat has a tattoo on his leg of the Jordan logo pic.twitter.com/1ZzeWqwtKb
— Ghost of Romo (@GhostOfRomo) November 8, 2021
This tattoo is a way for Gortat to honor the man who inspired him to become a basketball player. There are many shoe companies in the NBA, and one of them, Reebok, was not happy with the fact that Gortat (a player they had signed) had a tattoo of a direct competitor. They asked him to get the tattoo removed, but Marcin had an iconic response.
“‘They called and said I had to do something about it, but that ain’t going to happen. I’ve been wearing it 4-5 years now, and it helped me get to the NBA. They didn’t say anything about it when I signed the contract, so it’s not going anywhere. I don’t think they are paying me enough to take it off’… I’ve heard from other people that even other players, if they don’t know my name, they know I’m the big white guy with the Jordan tattoo,’ he said. ‘I like that. Reebok will have to get used to that.'” (h/t Yahoo)
Marcin Gortat Had A Solid NBA Career
Gortat never became one of the top-tier centers in the NBA but had a very solid career, mainly highlighted by his stint with the Wizards, the same team MJ retired from the NBA with. He signed a $60 million contract with the Wizards for his performances there, proving his value in the NBA.
Gortat played for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, and the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in 2020. His last stint was with the Clippers in 2019, prior to the signings of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. He averaged 9.9 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in his NBA career.
