Awesome Sports Fan Athlete Tributes

Sports fans have something few so-called fanatics can seriously lay their own claim to—license to be an obsessive stalker.

Of course, we don't call the most over-the-top fans stalkers; we use labels like "superfan" or "Jaguars season-ticket holder." Their behavior is not only socially acceptable, but it's actually even celebrated.

Do you love movie director J.J. Abrams' ability to marry action, suspense and style without sacrificing the story? If you choose to turn your admiration into a wall-sized, self-painted mural of Abrams taking command of set and scene...you'll freak out a lot of people.

Whereas if you choose to honor the legacy of Hall of Fame Royals third baseman George Brett with a giant back tattoo depicting the pine tar incident, people are going to say it's freakin' awesome.

Though no one is in a legit competition to see who can fill their basement up with the most Lindsay Lohan memorabilia—because that's terrifying—sports fans proudly try to outdo each other when it comes to athlete tributes.

These are some of the most awesome fan athlete tributes.  

Andre Drummond

Instagram ID: andredrummondd

Caption: This is a pretty awesome picture!!! @detroitpistons

Pistons center Andre Drummond is actually right—whoever did that has some relatively legit artistic talent. And the good sense to draw fan art rather than get it tattooed on his back. 

Tony Hawk

Instagram ID: tonyhawk

Caption: Regram via @roberto_el_turri: dude in Sydney got my signature... for life. I have conflicting feelings of pride & guilt.

It’s not every day you get the opportunity to meet a legend like skateboarder Tony Hawk. There is at least one fan out there who will remember that moment forever. As far as tattoos go, at least it’s not too intrusive. 

Antonio Brown

Instagram ID: antoniobrown84

Caption: What they got to say now

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown gets an awful lot of fan art and posts much of it to Instagram. This is definitely one of the best. 

Cam Atkinson

Instagram ID: camatkinson13

Caption: Does this look like me??? Not bad. Thanks @LeAshleh

Even though Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson doesn’t look much like this sketched version of himself, it’s still got to be pretty flattering to receive this kind of stuff from complete strangers. 

Lardarius Webb

Instagram ID: l_webb21

Caption: Artwork! #rayrice

Obviously, this isn’t Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb but rather an impressive artistic rendering he posted to Instagram of his teammate Ray Rice donning a Steelers Terrible Towel on his dome. It was inspired by real-life events that transpired in 2012.  

Skylar Diggins

Instagram ID: skydigg4

Caption: Dope fan art! @mikeanixon

WNBA superstar Skylar Diggins is as gorgeous as she is talented, which makes her the inspiration for all sorts of fan art tributes. This one is pretty great. Others are less so. 

Darnell Dockett

Instagram ID: dockett90

Caption: This is a nice drawing! S--t looks just like me lol! Even the elephant trunk!

Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett is understandably pleased by the very generous physical dimensions in this fan drawing. In real life, his head would be bigger than a beach ball and his arms like tree trunks. Even so, the drawing is pretty solid. 

J.R. Smith

Instagram ID: teamswish

Caption: Lmao love my fans! #FanMail

This one isn’t really a fan tribute; rather, it's some weirdo sending J.R. Smith $60 in the mail, which definitely counts as something. Say what you will about this lunatic, but he doesn’t welsh on his bets. 

Tyrann Mathieu

Instagram ID: devine_mathieu

Caption: #FANARTFRIDAY

Looks like there are still some LSU fans longing for the days of Tyrann Mathieu, who was one of the most electrifying players in college football before getting the boot before the 2012 season. Certainly can’t blame them, either—he was a Heisman finalist in 2011. 

Taj Gibson

Instagram ID: tajgibson22

Caption: The stuff people put together!!!

Bulls forward Taj Gibson was understandably amused by this Photoshop miracle, even though Derrick Rose is stealing the show, as usual. At least he’s participating, though. 

Mike Tyson

Instagram ID: miketyson

Caption: It's cool to see people having fun with my tattoo.

Retired boxer Mike Tyson always enjoys seeing his tattoo on faces other than the one in his mirror. His tattoo artist, on the other hand, does not. Hopefully he doesn’t sue this little boy like he sued to halt the release of The Hangover Part II. 

Nate Robinson

Instagram ID: naterobinson

Caption: I love fan art #holdat #heartoverheight #seattleBoy

Nuggets point guard Nate Robinson gets his fair share of artistic tributes from fans. They’re not all as skillfully elaborate as this one—the Seattle skyline is a very nice touch. 

Nate Robinson

Instagram ID: naterobinson

Caption: #fanart love it ... Thanks to who ever made this #stateofnate #holdatnation #holdat #hdn #heartoverheight

This is supposedly a caricature of Robinson, but it doesn’t quite deliver in terms of comic or grotesque effect. Since the only exaggerated feature seems to be his head (and maybe his six-pack abs), the artist should’ve gone a lot bigger.  

Jabaal Sheard

Instagram ID: jabaalsheard

Caption: My cuzin drew this #skillz#handsomeME lol

Browns linebacker Jabaal Sheard isn’t the only big-time talent in his family. His cousin is obviously quite the artist. 

Floyd Mayweather

Instagram ID: floydmayweather

Caption: I appreciate and love all my fans. This tattoo looks like the real thing. I like to call this BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS

Honestly, boxer Floyd Mayweather has so much fan art dedicated to him that the stuff he posts on Instagram alone could be its own list. Narrowing them down to two wasn’t easy, but this creepily lifelike tattoo was a no-brainer. Floyd Money was also quite taken by it. 

Floyd Mayweather

Instagram ID: floydmayweather

Caption: I appreciate all my fans

There were a lot of other good ones, but none were nearly as elaborate or large as this guy’s full-back mural dedicated to everything Las Vegas. Between Mayweather’s likeness and that of one of his many luxury vehicles, he represents at least 25 percent of the real estate on this living billboard. That's dedication.

Sydney Leroux

Instagram ID: sydneyleroux

Caption: Thank you to the fan that drew this! That's 100% Boss's face every time I try to take pictures with him.

Whoever made this birthday card for American soccer star Sydney Leroux is one of her Instagram superfans, because an adorably large percentage of the photos she posts are selfies with or without her teeny, tiny dog. 

Nick Young

Instagram ID: swaggyp1

Caption: Dope lil art piece I was tag in by @chinakobe24 who could top it and win a swag day with me

Lakers forward Nick Young is every bit as animated in real life as he is in this piece of fan art. Which I must agree is pretty “dope.”

Kelly Slater

Instagram ID: kellyslater

Caption: And the last photo of the @deanvinci painting. I think #Rabbit is the only guy in both the old and new paintings. Check @happyreef76 diving off the ski... #GhostRideTheWhip! #AIForever #PittedSoPitted and #BruceIrons throwing #Shakas. Some heavy #HashTagging going down right now. @raimanaworld@stridersworld @lyndieirons @miairons @kalanimiller

Apparently, Kelly Slater is surfer Jesus? That would explain the halo. 

Scottie Pippen

Instagram ID: scottiepippen

Caption: Thanks for sending this my way. I'll be posting fan work every Monday...lots of love to the #teampippen fans!

Not only does that fan art do Bulls legend Scottie Pippen justice, but it might actually be the best he’s ever looked. Something about that portrait is really working for me. 

Vontae Davis

Instagram ID: 21vdavis

Caption: S/O my biggest role model @vernondavis85 getting his ink of me playing in college touched up !

Colts cornerback Vontae Davis is the younger brother of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, who got his tattoo as a tribute to his kid brother’s college football days. A much less creepy sentiment than the rest of the strangers on this list who were willing to do the same thing. 

Vontae Davis

Instagram ID: 21vdavis

Caption: [No caption] 

Another piece of fan art, courtesy of Vontae Davis, who clearly made much more of an impression at Illinois than he has in the NFL. 

Nicklas Backstrom

Instagram ID: nicklas_backstrom19

Caption: Some fan art

Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom’s essence is captured pretty well in this piece of fan art. Well, everything except his smile, which has at least one serious gap in real life. 

LeBron James

Instagram ID: kingjames

Caption: My guy Shane Battier said he was out somewhere and a guy ran up to him to show him this tatted on his leg. I really don't know how I'm suppose to feel about it. Lol. Ummm I guess that's pretty cool/creepy/awesome all the same time!

Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has probably seen hundreds, if not thousands, of terrible tattoo tributes to himself at this point. Although most of them manage to capture his overall likeness successfully, there’s always something just a little off about them. However, this one looks like the Mona Lisa compared to this monstrosity.