Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Purdue Fort Wayne on November 3, 2025 , Win , 90, to, 71
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M Basketball
vs Purdue Fort Wayne
W 90-71
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: Darryl Webb
BasketBlog: What’s the Story Behind Those Tattoos?
11/24/2012 10:40:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Doug Carroll
What’s the Story Behind Those Tattoos?
President Woodrow Wilson had the League of Nations. Killian Larson has the Leg of Nations.
Larson, a 6-foot-9, 268-pound junior on the GCU men’s basketball team, is the Antelopes’ marked man for reasons that all can see when he’s in a sleeveless jersey and shorts. His prominent tattoos go well beyond the mother-with-a-heart level of body art.
Larson’s lower right leg is a visual representation of his family tree. Look closely and you’ll see several national flags, a tribute to the heritage of his mother (German, French, Irish, English) and his father (Swedish, Italian, Native American). There’s an American flag, as well. Larson estimates that he sat for about nine hours, in two sessions, to get the leg inked – and that’s not all to be seen on him.
His left shoulder bears a tribal, Keltic design, and the Larson family crest has a large home on his chest.
That last one really hurt, by the way.
“It felt like a hot blade going through my chest,” Larson says, adding that he’s contemplating a large scriptural piece for his still-blank back.
Larson’s father, David, has more than a dozen tattoos – including one that recognizes a family member who rode with the Jesse James Gang -- and tried to talk his son out of getting them.
“He knows the perceptions people have of those with tattoos,” Killian says, “but I wanted something really memorable…. Family is one of the most important things to me. I’m a Heinz 57, a big melting pot.”
Big, for sure – the size of person who attracts stares in the airport even without tats. Larson says most people assume the leg art represents places where he has played basketball or places he has visited. When he explains the family connection, he says, “usually people think it’s cool.”
He doesn’t deny that he’s addicted to getting tattoos.
“You either become addicted or you never want to get one again,” Larson says, “and I’m addicted. I miss the smell and sound of the needle.”
For those who didn’t pass out after reading that, he does have his limits.
“I don’t want anything on my hands or neck,” he says. “My dad made sure I got them so that they could be covered up for a job. I’m a college student and I’m not set on my job path yet.”
Senior Josh Lowery and junior Blake Davis of the men’s team also have gone under the needle.
Lowery has three tattoos – “Fear God” on his wrist, the names of his five brothers on his chest, and “Faith Is My Strength” on his right (“Faith Is”) and left (“My Strength”) arms. Davis’ tattoo, on his shoulder, says “Like Father, Like Son” and recognizes that he and his dad, Rick, each won an Arizona state championship while playing for St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix (Rick in 1979, Blake in 2009).
“I wanted something that would have some meaning,” Blake says, adding that this also was one he knew would receive parental approval.
Why I’m Wearing What I’m Wearing
I’m not tatted, but people have been asking what’s up with my No. 1 Minnesota Vikings jersey (with the name “Moon” on the back) and my Milwaukee Brewers baseball cap. I’m not a fan of either team, but I decided this season that I’d wear something as a salute to three great guys on the Antelope men’s team.
The jersey (it had to be purple) is a loaner from Steve “Moonshot” Morin and has nothing to do with former Vikings quarterback Warren Moon. And the cap recognizes Brad Carroll, who’s finishing his college basketball career at GCU after starting it five years ago at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
The third guy is Dillon Currier, and I’m wearing a gray Kobe Bryant T-shirt underneath the Vikings jersey for him. He is absolutely, positively the biggest Kobe fan on the planet. I’m not – boy, am I not – but I’m a Dillon fan. What can I say? That’s love, baby.
Email Doug Carroll at doug.carroll@gcu.edu.
President Woodrow Wilson had the League of Nations. Killian Larson has the Leg of Nations.
Larson, a 6-foot-9, 268-pound junior on the GCU men’s basketball team, is the Antelopes’ marked man for reasons that all can see when he’s in a sleeveless jersey and shorts. His prominent tattoos go well beyond the mother-with-a-heart level of body art.
Larson’s lower right leg is a visual representation of his family tree. Look closely and you’ll see several national flags, a tribute to the heritage of his mother (German, French, Irish, English) and his father (Swedish, Italian, Native American). There’s an American flag, as well. Larson estimates that he sat for about nine hours, in two sessions, to get the leg inked – and that’s not all to be seen on him.
His left shoulder bears a tribal, Keltic design, and the Larson family crest has a large home on his chest.
That last one really hurt, by the way.
“It felt like a hot blade going through my chest,” Larson says, adding that he’s contemplating a large scriptural piece for his still-blank back.
Larson’s father, David, has more than a dozen tattoos – including one that recognizes a family member who rode with the Jesse James Gang -- and tried to talk his son out of getting them.
“He knows the perceptions people have of those with tattoos,” Killian says, “but I wanted something really memorable…. Family is one of the most important things to me. I’m a Heinz 57, a big melting pot.”
Big, for sure – the size of person who attracts stares in the airport even without tats. Larson says most people assume the leg art represents places where he has played basketball or places he has visited. When he explains the family connection, he says, “usually people think it’s cool.”
He doesn’t deny that he’s addicted to getting tattoos.
“You either become addicted or you never want to get one again,” Larson says, “and I’m addicted. I miss the smell and sound of the needle.”
For those who didn’t pass out after reading that, he does have his limits.
“I don’t want anything on my hands or neck,” he says. “My dad made sure I got them so that they could be covered up for a job. I’m a college student and I’m not set on my job path yet.”
Senior Josh Lowery and junior Blake Davis of the men’s team also have gone under the needle.
Lowery has three tattoos – “Fear God” on his wrist, the names of his five brothers on his chest, and “Faith Is My Strength” on his right (“Faith Is”) and left (“My Strength”) arms. Davis’ tattoo, on his shoulder, says “Like Father, Like Son” and recognizes that he and his dad, Rick, each won an Arizona state championship while playing for St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix (Rick in 1979, Blake in 2009).
“I wanted something that would have some meaning,” Blake says, adding that this also was one he knew would receive parental approval.
Why I’m Wearing What I’m Wearing
I’m not tatted, but people have been asking what’s up with my No. 1 Minnesota Vikings jersey (with the name “Moon” on the back) and my Milwaukee Brewers baseball cap. I’m not a fan of either team, but I decided this season that I’d wear something as a salute to three great guys on the Antelope men’s team.
The jersey (it had to be purple) is a loaner from Steve “Moonshot” Morin and has nothing to do with former Vikings quarterback Warren Moon. And the cap recognizes Brad Carroll, who’s finishing his college basketball career at GCU after starting it five years ago at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
The third guy is Dillon Currier, and I’m wearing a gray Kobe Bryant T-shirt underneath the Vikings jersey for him. He is absolutely, positively the biggest Kobe fan on the planet. I’m not – boy, am I not – but I’m a Dillon fan. What can I say? That’s love, baby.
Email Doug Carroll at doug.carroll@gcu.edu.
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