Featured Image Credit: Penguin Books/Amazon & Alamy

Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan has a “little known” tattoo that he is a “bit sensitive about” and has only shown it off in public on a very rare occasion.

Jordan is widely considered one of the best basketball players of all time and transcended the sport thanks to his prolific playing career with the Bulls.

During his two separate spells with the Bulls, the 60-year-old American superstar was an integral part of their legendary trophy-laden run in the 1990s.

Jordan lifted six NBA championship titles with the Bulls coupled with his six NBA Finals MVP awards, a feat that elevated him to ‘GOAT status’ for fans, pundits and players.

The NBA legend’s competitive attitude off the court has also become part of his legacy, with Jordan not being afraid to drop hefty sums of money on friendly wagers.

Jordan’s former Bulls teammate Dennis Rodman was well known for his trademark tattoo look on the court, but not many fans are aware that ‘MJ’ was also inked.

Sam Smith, who wrote the 1991 book ‘The Jordan Rules,’ revealed that former Bulls star Jordan has an omega horseshoe above his left breast.

The legendary Bulls writer added that ‘MJ’ was always “a bit sensitive about” his “little known” tattoo.

“He had an ironing board out when I arrived and I wondered about it since I had no idea how to use one,” Smith wrote for NBA.com.

Michael Jordan’s omega horseshoe tattoo is visible on the cover of Bob Greene’s 1995 book ‘Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan.’ Credit: Penguin Books/Amazon

“He was a shy kid and had those big, jug ears and said as an adolescent he couldn’t get dates.

“Little known is he has a tattoo, an omega horseshoe above his left breast that he always was a bit sensitive about.

“He also had developed this habit of sticking his tongue out when he played ball, something his father did when he was working on cars back home, a hobby of James’. The other kids made fun of Michael for the gesture.”

Bob Greene’s 1995 book ‘Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan’ features a shirtless Jordan on the cover with the omega horseshoe visible above his left breast.

Sportscasting claims that the tattoo’s origin dates back to Jordan’s time at the University of North Carolina.

“Jordan has a small tattoo above his left breast,” Ashish Mathur wrote.

“It’s an omega horseshoe, and it was drawn on as a way of pledging his commitment to the Black fraternity Omega Psi Phi, which he was a part of while he attended the University of North Carolina.”