Nate Robinson tattoo on fan’s shoulder looks great, was a very good idea (Photo)

Once upon a time, a fan of Chicago Bulls point guard Nate Robinson had a dream, and asked a question.

@nate_robinson If I get a tattoo of your photo, send me your shirt? twitter.com/ivan_ecus/stat…

— Iván García (@ivan_ecus) April 4, 2013

The fan did not get a response to his question, but that, it seems, did not in any way deter him from holding up his end of the bargain in pursuit of his dreams:

@nate_robinson look my new tattoo twitter.com/ivan_ecus/stat…

— Iván García (@ivan_ecus) April 13, 2013

... which, as I see it, is a pretty serious commitment to make when you don't even know for sure if the player you like is going to send you anything.

Nate gave the intrepid ink-stained fan a public shoutout:

Wow bro thats love ... ur a true fan RT @ivan_ecus: @nate_robinsonlook my new tattoo twitter.com/ivan_ecus/stat…

— Nate Robinson (@nate_robinson) April 13, 2013

... but no such public agreement to ship him a jersey.

We've highlighted a number of NBA-inspired tattoos in the past. Most have paid tribute to legends like Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or Dirk Nowitzki. Others celebrate specific local/regional icons, like these salutes of former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's passion for tractors, James Harden and his beard or John Starks' "The Dunk".

This one falls into a third category, also occupied by this reminder of Charles Barkley kissing Dick Bavetta — a tattoo aimed at netting the recipient a desired prize. In this case, that prize appears to be a Nate Robinson jersey ... one that our tattooed fan will probably going to have to wear with a T-shirt underneath, so that no one can see his shoulder tat. I guess it could be worse — he could have to wear a long-sleeved shirt so that people don't gawk at his Charlie Villanueva Arm.

For @ivan_ecus' sake, we're really, really hoping that the conversation happened via direct message or through one of Robinson's representatives, because it'd be a real bummer not to get something in return for ... um ... that. (Thank goodness for shirts.)

One thing that bears watching now: Whether Robinson, fueled by the pure and chaste love of a fan willing to get a tattoo of his likeness (from a number of years ago, while he was still a member of the New York Knicks, which is weird, but still) on his body, will go out and have a monster game against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night to even Chicago's best-of-seven first-round series at one game apiece. If so, we can only hope some reporter asks Nate whether he drew inspiration from someone else's tattoo for a change.

Hat-tip to The Big Lead.