Big Bird meets Little Bird: Chris Andersen’s Mini-Me
Chris “Birdman” Andersen is well-known in the NBA for not only being the only player to ever be promoted from the D-League to the NBA, but also for his colorful tattoos that take up nearly 75 percent of his body. But his original appearance isn’t so original anymore.
This display helps Andersen establish a unique identity that no one had copied until recently. Birdman now has a young fan who looks just like him, 8-month-old Lazaro “Baby Birdman” Pereira. The baby is covered in fake tattoo sleeves, a gel Mohawk, and stick-on earrings to represent his favorite NBA superstar.
A few weeks ago, a photo of little Lazaro dressed like his favorite player made the rounds on the Internet, and shortly after, Lazaro met his look-alike.
“He’s kind of intimidating me,” Andersen said of his mini-me in a video interview with NBC6. “He’s been staring me down and I think he’s trying to take my position.”
A special connection at NBC6 Sports department set up the encounter with the Miami Heat recently. According to NBC6 Sports, baby Lazaro and his family also met head coach Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James, as well.
The meeting was likely a great moment for the family, but surely not as special as little Lazaro himself, who was born after his parents, Jessica and Ernesto Pereira, tried for eight years to conceive a child.
Although the young fan may not remember this moment when he gets older, he’ll have the pictures forever. The tattoos are fake for now, but who knows. Perhaps when he’s older, Lazaro will want to get a more permanent tribute to Birdman.
