Michael Jordan has been married to Yvette Prieto since 2013. But in 2006, a year before they met, the NBA legend was still going through his divorce from Juanita Vanoy — to whom he was married for 17 years.
Jordan and Vanoy have three children together: Jeffrey, 34, Jasmine, 30, and 32-year-old Marcus who's currently dating Larsa Pippen, 48. The ex-couple had previously filed for divorce in 2002, during the athlete's second-to-last season in the league.
They eventually patched things up despite citing irreconcilable differences in their filing. Here's why they decided to call it quits, four years later — setting the record for the most expensive divorce settlement in entertainment history at that time.
Why Did Michael Jordan & Juanita Vanoy Divorce?
On December 29, 2006, the couple announced that they had mutually decided to end their marriage. "Michael and Juanita Jordan mutually and amicably decided to end their 17-year marriage," their statement read. "A judgment for dissolution of their marriage was entered today. There will be no further statements."
According to a source, this time, "[Michael] ha[d] not been home much" and that Vanoy's "divorce filing assert[ed] that they ha[d] lived 'separate and apart' for some time." Neither camp disclosed the reason behind their split. However, reports said that it was due to Jordan's gambling addiction and series of infidelities, which he strongly denied.
However, porn star, Kylie Ireland claimed that she had a one-night stand with Jordan in Denver, back in 1993. "I always thought he and Juanita had an agreement of some kind . . . the way he travels constantly," she once stated. "Sometimes, you just need a warm body in bed next to you."
It was also widely reported that Jordan had "had an affair with Karla Knafel" and that he had admitted to "paying her $250,000 to keep their relationship secret." In 2013, Knafel sued the six-time NBA champion, claiming that he was the father of her child.
A private investigator later told Washington Post that the claims were dropped and that it was just one of many "compromising situations" in which Jordan was allegedly involved "in the company of a half-dozen women."
How Much Did Juanita Vanoy Get From Her Divorce From Michael Jordan?
Vanoy won a $168 million settlement from her divorce from Jordan. That's equivalent to $246 million in 2022. She also received a seven-acre mansion in Chicago.
As of now, Vanoy's net worth is estimated to be $200 million while Jordan has $2 billion. He's clearly recovered well from that pricey divorce.
The two didn't have a prenup in place, but they did sign a postnup. Later on, Jordan's lawyers said that he had "negotiated terms that were 'extremely beneficial and greatly exceeded any statutory benefit Vanoy Jordan would have received under Illinois law.'"
Aside from his NBA career — which yielded a total of $94 million — Jordan makes $100 million a year from Nike royalties alone. Nike's Jordan brand rakes in about $3.6 billion in revenue each year.
Still, the biggest investment made by the Chicago Bulls alum was the Charlotte Hornets, which he bought in 2010 for $175 million. It's now worth more than $1.7 billion, and he owns 97% of the club's equity.
He officially became a billionaire in 2014 when the value of the franchise grew. According to Forbes, Jordan's estimated annual earnings amount to $145 million, which includes all his other endorsements and side ventures.
Are Michael Jordan & Juanita Vanoy Still Friends?
Jordan and Vanoy have remained on speaking terms following their divorce. According to Les Coney, a family friend, the pair never liked PDAs.
"But they clearly communicate," said Coney. "When Juanita couldn't get the stereo to work, he's the first person she called. And Michael was right there."
In 2013, Vanoy opened up about her co-parenting arrangement with Jordan. "Mostly our conversations are about the children," she shared with Crain's Chicago Business.
"Divorce was certainly new to me," she continued. "I had to learn that you have to communicate. That it's not about you or your ex-partner. It's about making sure the children are all right [sic]."
However, she did note that her ex-husband didn't inform her of his remarriage. "I don't remember him saying, 'By the way, I'm getting married,'" she quipped.
These days, Vanoy prefers being away from the limelight. "I wanted to simplify my life," she explained. "I got off boards, I downsized the way I lived. I had to because I wasn't going to be in a huge house. I really looked forward to the basic things: my children and my good friends."
Washington Post also reported that "These days, Juanita Jordan is keeping her own counsel, confiding only to her family and very close clique of longtime girlfriends."
As for Jordan, he made sure that his current wife signed a prenup rewarding her "$1 million for each year they are married." If their marriage lasts over a decade, she would receive an increase of "$5 million per year."
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGihrpmensGiedWapaixo2K7psCMsKarrJhirqfAxKtknaGmpL%2BksYysnK2snJq6prrTZp2rp51iuqqvx5qcpWWapL%2Blrc1o