# Allen Iverson's arm cover
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allen-iversons-arm-cover/67434
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 3, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allen-iversons-arm-cover/67434 "2001-06-03T16:06:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allen-iversons-arm-cover/67434/1 "2001-06-03T16:06:44Z")
Those of you who watch basketball will have noticed that Allen Iverson wears a white sleeve over one of his arms. I assumed that it was some sort of brace or pad because of an injury. Last night I was told that he is requested (required?) to wear it because he has a tattoo that is considered to be very offensive.
1. Is this true?
2. If so, what is the nature of the tattoo?
Thanks,
Haj
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### Author:  [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2001, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allen-iversons-arm-cover/67434/2 "2001-06-03T16:43:18Z")
I found this in a USA Today article about the different kinds of tattoos NBA players have. However, it’s from about two years ago, so things could’ve changed since then.
> [@](#):
>
> Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers, who many feel is the heir-apparent trendsetter to Michael Jordan, sports tattoos up and down both arms.
>
> The NBA has a policy against wearing jewelry during a game but no rule against tattoos, says Chris Brienza, an NBA spokesman.
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### Author:  [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2001, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allen-iversons-arm-cover/67434/3 "2001-06-03T16:49:04Z")
[This article](http://www.foxsports.com/nba/home/nba_news.cfm?source=st&cont_id=60423) is only a couple of weeks old and mentions a couple of controversies Iverson has been at the center of, but not a tattoo one. FWIW.
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### Author:  [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2001, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allen-iversons-arm-cover/67434/4 "2001-06-03T23:32:32Z")
Iverson wears the sleeve to provide additional protection for his elbow. (At least that’s why he started wearing it – it could be a good luck thing now.) He actually took the sleeve off during one of the games against the Bucks (Game 4 or 5, I think) when he was having a bad shooting night.
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### Author:  [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2001, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/allen-iversons-arm-cover/67434/5 "2001-06-04T05:37:23Z")
Here is a site that lists all of Iverson’s tattoos:
[http://home.c2i.net/espurkel/tattoes.htm](http://home.c2i.net/espurkel/tattoes.htm)
His arm wrap could possibly be protecting new tattoos from getting damaged during play, although he has been wearing the wrap for quite some time. I suspect it is a fashion statement and not to protect his elbow, as the white one he wears is evidently just lycra and is unpadded.