Michael Jordan has 'secret tattoo' with hidden meaning that he has only shown off once in public

Details of the location and meaning of NBA superstar Michael Jordan's secret tattoo have been revealed.

Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time and one of the biggest names in American sports ahead of icons like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal.

During his 15 season-long career, 'His Airness' won six NBA titles, was a five-time MVP, six-time NBA finals MVP and holds a 6-0 record in those MVP finals.

But, what a lot of NBA fans do not know, is that Jordan has a secret tattoo on his body that he has kept hidden for years.

Sam Smith, author of 'The Jordan Rules,' a book about the Chicago Bulls 1990-91 championship winning season, revealed details about the tattoo.

Writing for NBA.com, he said: "Little known is he has a tattoo, an omega horseshoe above his left breast that he always was a bit sensitive about.

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

“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.”

Jordan's tattoo has only be seen by the public once as he posed topless on the cover of another book titled 'Rebound: The Odyssey of Michael Jordan,' in 1995.

While the meaning of the tattoo remains speculation, Sportscasting writer Ashish Mathur has claimed that Jordan got it when joining a fraternity at the University of North Carolina.

"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," claimed Mathur.

Michael Jordan won six NBA titles while playing for the Chicago Bulls. (Image: Getty)

Jordan attended the University of North Carolina from 1981 to 1984.

During this time he played collegiately and helped the team win an National College Athletics Association championship in 1982 and also gold at the Pan American Games in the same year.

Two years later he led Team USA to gold in the Olympic Games and was drafted for the first time in the NBA, joining the Chicago Bulls.