Luka Šamanić: "For me, tattoos are art"

Croatian Zenit center Luka Šamanić became the guest of a new episode of the programme "Show me your tattoo". In our interview, he talks about his first tattoo, the overall concept, and one of his most personal and meaningful designs.

— Before you got to the NBA, you didn’t have any tattoos. Why did you start getting them once you moved to the U.S.?

— So, when I was younger, before I was 18, my dream was to get a tattoo, actually to get full body tattoos. But I wasn't 18 yet, so once I moved to the United States and I had some more money, and I think tattoo artists in America are better than in Europe, or at least from my experience so far, so that's why I decided to wait and do it right.

— Do you remember when you got your first tattoo?

— Yes, I lived in Slovenia, I played for Olympia, just when I turned 18, and there were the little dates here that you can't really see because of the other tattoos, and when my mom was born and when my sister was born.

— How many tattoos do you have?

— I have, I don't know, maybe like 10.

— Behind your ear, you have a tattoo made of Roman numerals. What does it mean?

— It's the birthday of my grandma. She was from my mom's side and we had a special relationship and then she passed away. After she passed away I think I wanted to celebrate her and have her as part of my life forever so.

— What’s the story behind that unusual tattoo on your right forearm?

— So this is a Japanese themed sleeve, it's gonna be so once I finish it. On the right is Hanya mask popular in Japan. For a good fortune. And then I have a geisha is just a Japanese culture and history a very famous.

— There’s a kind of mystical or dark theme running through your tattoos. Is that something you feel connected to?

— I mean all of them I have on my hand. I have it says blessed, just grateful for every day, blessed to be able to do what I love and have a beautiful family. Then this was more religious and just being you know believing in God. Then I have a wolf, alone wolf. Just you know spending a lot of time alone and playing basketball is lonely sometimes. So. Yeah, I have a Poseidon. It's a Greek god of water, ocean. I have an angel here.

— Are you planning to get any tattoos in Saint Petersburg?

— I'm not sure just because you need some time to heal the tattoo and you're not supposed to play basketball. But if there is any good tattoo artist let me know and maybe I'll do it.

— What do tattoos mean to you?

— Well it's art and I like how they look and since I was younger every time I would see somebody with like full sleeve and tattoos. I would really like it. So to me has a meaning for example like this about my Grandma, but also I just like how it looks on the body.

— Is there a tattoo you regret getting?

— No.

— Would you get a tattoo dedicated to Zenit if you win a championship with the team?

— I would get a tattoo of maybe not Zenit specifically, but I will get it off a trophy that we want, so, yes.

— Sergey Karasev has a championship tattoo.

— Oh yeah? So that's what I would do probably, like celebrate, I don't know, something about Zenit and the trophy if we were to win.

— How many more tattoos do you plan to get?

— Well, I hope to get my full body covered, so my legs, my arm, my chest, my back, all of it.

— Maybe some special?

— I think on my back I want a big portrait of Archangel Michael. I's also a religious picture. But anything else we'll see, I mean sometimes I ask somebody like the artist maybe to come up with an idea but yeah…

— You talked about wolves, and maybe you know, the symbol of Zenit is a lion.

— Oh, really?

— Yeah. Maybe you plan to get a lion?

— I would, yes, for sure. I like lions, the king of the jungle.

— Maybe you associate yourself with lions?

— Oh, yeah, for sure it would be I mean if I get a lion, I would always think of the team.