Watch: Naz Reid undergoes anesthesia for his full frontal tattoo session during NBA offseason
Minnesota Timberwolves fan favorite Naz Reid had to be put under anesthesia for a new full-chest and stomach tattoo he got ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. A video shared by his tattoo artists revealed him undergoing anesthesia to ensure the full-front tattoo was completed painlessly.
The intricate design featured what appeared to be mythical figures, including a winged angel, a hooded woman holding a cross and a hooded skull with Roman numerals overlaid on a complex sky background.
Nopain.by.ganga, the tattoo team behind Reid’s piece, stated on Instagram that the chest and stomach tattoo reflected the Timberwolves player’s "vision."
Reid has become a beloved figure among Timberwolves fans thanks to his significant contributions as a backup for Minnesota. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, all career highs, helping the Timberwolves advance to the conference finals.
He earned the Sixth Man of the Year award last year, beating out competitors like Malik Monk, Bobby Portis, Norman Powell, and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Naz Reid tattoos go viral among Timberwolves fans
Though Reid has been with Minnesota since 2019, his popularity soared to new heights during the 2023-24 season.
His fame grew to the point where hundreds of Minnesota locals had his name tattooed on their bodies during the playoffs last year.
The man behind the trend was Minnesota tattoo artist JC Stroebel, who posted on X (formerly Twitter) offering to tattoo Naz Reid’s name for $20.
"I sent out the tweet thinking if I just find one person to tattoo Naz Reid on, I think it could be cool," Stroebel told ESPN. "And locally it would be really funny if I found somebody to tattoo it on, and I made the mistake of underestimating the fan base, which is hard to do in Minnesota because they're always showing up."
Hundreds of fans took him up on the offer, especially after the Timberwolves knocked out the Denver Nuggets, then the reigning champions, in the playoffs. Reid averaged 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over seven games against the Nuggets.
“But I was shocked to see how many people engaged with it and wanted it. ... I think this is so much bigger than winning, " Stroebel said.
Stroebel expressed joy that the Naz Reid tattoo movement brought Timberwolves fans together in celebration.
"Timberwolves fans haven’t had a lot to celebrate in the postseason, so this became a chance to honor the team and create something special for the Wolves community. We're so grateful to be part of it and wanted to give back," Stroebel said.
Reid ended last year’s playoff run averaging 11.1 points and 3.7 rebounds.