Who Is Michael Jordan’s Ex-Wife? All About Juanita Vanoy

Michael Jordan had simply begun his prolific NBA profession when he met his first spouse Juanita Vanoy.

When the pair first crossed paths at a restaurant in 1985, Jordan was just one season into his profession with the Chicago Bulls. Over the subsequent few years, their relationship shortly progressed, and by 1988, Vanoy was pregnant with their first baby. Whereas there was practically a paternity swimsuit regarding Jordan’s involvement within the child’s life, the pair ultimately determined to tie the knot in September 1989, nearly a 12 months after their son Jeffrey was born.

Jordan and Vanoy mentioned “I do” in a middle-of-the-night ceremony on the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas. The couple then went on to welcome two extra kids: their second son Marcus was born in 1990 and their daughter Jasmine arrived in 1992. As Jordan rose to fame, Vanoy caught by his aspect — and have become the “head of the family” whereas the basketball star was busy on the courtroom.

“[She’s] very good, very demanding. Very caring, good mom. Studying to prepare dinner. I really like her to demise although. I imply she’s obtained a humorousness simply by hanging round,” Jordan mentioned throughout a 1993 interview on “Eye to Eye with Connie Chung.”

Over the subsequent decade, the household lived in a Chicago mansion whereas Jordan continued his basketball profession and ultimately retired. Then, shortly after Jordan’s resolution to unretire from the game in 2002, Vanoy filed for divorce. Whereas the couple briefly reconciled, their divorce was imminent, and in 2006, they break up for good.

So who’s Michael Jordan’s ex-wife? Right here’s every little thing to learn about Juanita Vanoy.

Vanoy was born and raised in Chicago

Vanoy was born on June 13, 1959, in Chicago, In poor health. She was raised on the town’s South Facet, as the fifth of six women in her household. As an adolescent, she attended Fenger Academy Excessive Faculty the place she performed on the ladies’ basketball staff.

“I’ve all the time liked basketball. I imply, even in my highschool days I used to be on the ladies basketball staff,” Vanoy shared throughout an interview in 1991.

She labored numerous jobs earlier than assembly Jordan

After graduating highschool, Vanoy labored on getting her affiliate’s diploma from a area people faculty. Whereas learning, she labored for numerous organizations, together with the American Bar Affiliation and the actual property funding administration agency, Heitman Monetary Companies. When she met Jordan for the primary time, she was working as a mortgage officer at a Chicago financial institution.

Within the years that adopted, Vanoy additionally labored as a newspaper cultural columnist, {a magazine} function author and even obtained her actual property license.

Vanoy and Jordan first met at a restaurant after a Chicago Bulls recreation

Jordan met Vanoy for the primary time in March 1985 when the pair have been launched by mutual mates at a Bennigan’s restaurant in Chicago. Earlier within the night, Vanoy had attended a Bulls basketball recreation the place she watched Jordan from the group — and had no concept he would sooner or later change into her husband.

They obtained married in Las Vegas in September 1989

Vanoy and Jordan had their ups and downs earlier than tying the knot. After courting for a number of years, Jordan popped the query on New Yr’s Eve in 1987 and shortly after, the couple turned pregnant with their first baby. Talks of their marriage stalled although and for a while, Vanoy thought of submitting a paternity swimsuit.

“Juanita felt this was one thing she wanted to do. [Jordan] was clearly not being conscious of her wants or the wants of the unborn baby. It isn’t one thing that in the event you ignore it, it would go away,” her lawyer Michael Minton instructed The Chicago Tribune.

Whereas the couple’s authorized groups hashed issues out, Vanoy gave beginning to their son in November 1988. Then, 10 months later, the couple married in a 3:30 a.m. ceremony on the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas. On the time, Jordan mentioned that he was involved that his mates would oppose the wedding, so it was greatest in the event that they did it privately.

“I instructed Juanita I used to be afraid that when the preacher requested if there was anybody who objected to the wedding, too many arms would go up. I didn’t belief my buddies as a result of they noticed it as the beginning of one other stage of my life, they usually knew that may restrict them,” Jordan instructed PEOPLE.

He continued, “So I mentioned, ‘If you wish to do it, let’s do it now.’ We’d each had a few drinks, we’d been playing and dropping — this was like our bachelor evening. That’s how we obtained married at 3:30 a.m. in a marriage chapel. I did say, ‘5 years from now, possibly we will do a church marriage ceremony.’ And that’s what Juanita’s banking on. She says she was robbed of these treasured moments.”

That they had variations from the start of their marriage

From the early days of their relationship, Jordan admitted that he was very totally different from Vanoy. Again in 1993, Jordan shared that he had extra of a “Southern perspective” about life, whereas Vanoy was extra of a metropolis woman. He additionally defined that Vanoy wished extra nights out with him however he had “misplaced the will to exit” and needed to “drive” himself as a result of he believed she deserved his consideration.

“I’m extra down-home Southern, Juanita’s extra city-like. When my good mates come up from North Carolina, I don’t thoughts having them keep over and sleep on the ground — that’s a Southern perspective. However Juanita believes that these are grown males now. She’ll say, ‘Be certain that they get a lodge,’ ” Jordan instructed PEOPLE.

They share three kids: Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine

Over the course of their relationship, Vanoy and Jordan welcomed three kids. Their son Jeffrey was born in 1988 earlier than the couple tied the knot. In December 1990, they welcomed their second son Marcus, adopted by their daughter Jasmine in December 1992.

As their kids grew up, the couple’s three kids stayed out of the highlight. Trying again, Jasmine says it was a choice that was made primarily by her mom.

“My dad all the time mentioned, ‘You exit and do what you need, if you wish to have that life I help you.’ My mother was extra about, ‘I’m going to boost you ways I feel you ought to be and when you change into an grownup you determine what you need to do.’ We have been all raised in Chicago, our household would come over each weekend, and my mother made us perceive the place we got here from, and that this life was a blessing and to not take it with no consideration,” Jasmine instructed InStyle.

Vanoy filed for divorce in 2002 however they reconciled their relationship

In January 2002, Vanoy filed for divorce after 12 years of marriage. The choice got here shortly after Jordan determined to unretire with a purpose to play for the NBA’s Washington Wizards. Within the paperwork, Vanoy requested everlasting custody of their kids, the title to their Chicago mansion and an equitable share of their marital belongings. In the meantime, Jordan mentioned that their efforts to save lots of the wedding had failed and future ones “could be impractical and never in the perfect pursuits of the household.”

Within the days following the information, Jordan briefly spoke to the press at basketball apply, telling reporters, “When you’ve private points, generally work is a superb avenue to take care of it and transfer on. Issues will work out in the long term.”

Issues did find yourself understanding for the couple, as only a month later, they introduced that they have been making an attempt to reconcile and Vanoy withdrew her petition.

They in the end filed for divorce once more in 2006

Following their preliminary break up in 2002, Jordan and Vanoy determined to remain collectively. The pair remained married for a number of years, however in 2006, they filed for divorce as soon as once more. In an announcement, their legal professionals shared that the break up was amicable.

“Michael and Juanita Jordan mutually and amicably determined to finish their 17-year marriage. A judgment for dissolution of their marriage was entered as we speak. There might be no additional statements,” their legal professionals instructed PEOPLE.

Vanoy acquired a $168 million settlement following the divorce

Within the wake of their break up, Vancoy acquired one of many largest superstar divorce settlements in sports activities historical past. Vancoy acquired a $168 million payout — though Jordan was granted possession of their Chicago mansion.

She now owns a luxurious clothes boutique

Within the years that adopted Vanoy and Jordan’s divorce, she centered on elevating her kids. Whereas she says she had goals of opening her personal enterprise, her youngsters took precedence on the time.

“I believed I’d open my very own enterprise. Nevertheless it was necessary for me to stay in my youngsters’ lives as a lot as attainable, even via faculty. And that required lots of time,” she instructed Chicago Enterprise in 2013.

Now that her kids are adults, Vanoy has lastly gotten the prospect to open her personal enterprise. She now manages a luxurious on-line resale boutique known as Juanita World. As a “self-proclaimed shopaholic,” Vanoy sells designer clothes, purses, footwear, belts and jewellery — together with items from her personal assortment.

In 2022, Vanoy additionally served as a co-producer on the Broadway manufacturing of Some Like It Scorching.

Vanoy was not included in Jordan’s The Final Dance documentary

When Jordan’s documentary The Final Dance was launched in 2020, many followers observed that Vanoy was utterly absent from the movie — regardless of being a big a part of Jordan’s profession. The couple’s daughter Jasmine was later requested concerning the scenario and shared that her mom wasn’t involved about not being included.

“On the finish of the day, in the event you’d ask my mother, she lived it. There’s no have to go down reminiscence lane and produce up every little thing that has already occurred when the proof is within the pudding. She was on the championship. She was on the retirement ceremony. We noticed her in her glory … so no, I don’t suppose there’s a have to rehash and undergo all of it. She already lived it,” she mentioned throughout a Fb Reside chat with Essence.