Bare-Assed Tyson Chandler Covers ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue (Slightly NSFW)

by Matt Rudnitsky | 4:40 pm, July 9th, 2012

Dwight Howard might be traded to the Brooklyn Nets, but we have much more important basketball news for you.

You can see New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler’s butt on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue.” Yep. So while you’re deliberating whether to go with the Snickers or MilkyWay at the supermarket checkout line, you will be greeted by an NBA center’s bum. Faaaantastic.

Also, can we talk for a second about how confused Chandler looks on this cover? It’s as if ESPN’s photographers said, “Hey! Look over there!” then stole his pants.

Anyway: the “Body Issue.” Every year, this thing stirs up controversy. You can say it’s exploitation, inappropriate, or that it’s just a marketing ploy to keep up with SI‘s Swimsuit Edition — or whatever other criticism you may have. But you can’t say that ESPN doesn’t at least attempt to be tasteful, and it does have a reasonable rebuttal. ESPN’s mission statement for the issue:

“It’s okay to stare. That’s what The Body Issue is here for. Each year, we stop to admire the vast potential of the human form. To unapologetically stand in awe of the athletes who’ve pushed their physiques to profound frontiers. To imagine how it would feel to inhabit those bodies, to leap and punch and throw like a god. To … well, gawk. So go ahead; join us.”

Well, it’s for you to judge. And either way, Tyson Chandler will take crap for this from his teammates. Though it’s probably safe to say that Baron Davis and Josh Harrellson will keep their mouths shut.

[NY Mag]

Follow Matt Rudnitsky