Who is Michael Jordan’s ex-wife?All about Juanita Vanoy

Michael Jordan was just beginning his prolific NBA career when he met his first wife, Juanita Vanoy.

Jordan was just one season into his career with the Chicago Bulls in 1985 when the two first met at a restaurant. Their relationship blossomed over the next few years, and by 1988, Vanoy became pregnant with their first child. While questions about Jordan’s involvement in the baby’s life nearly sparked a paternity lawsuit, the pair ultimately decided to tie the knot in September 1989, nearly a year after the birth of their son, Jeffrey.

Jordan and Vanoy said “I do” in a late-night ceremony at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas. The couple subsequently welcomed two more children: their second son Marcus, born in 1990, and daughter Jasmine in 1992. As Jordan rose to fame, Vanoy stayed by his side and became the “head of the family.” As Jordan rose to fame, Vanoy stayed by his side and became the “head of the family.” “. Basketball stars are busy on the court.

“(She’s) very nice, very demanding. Very attentive, a good mom. Learns to cook. I love her to death though. I mean, she has a sense of humor just hanging out,” Jordan told The Verge in 1993 Eye to Eye with Connie Chung” said during the interview on the show.

For the next decade, the family lived in a mansion in Chicago while Jordan continued his basketball career and eventually retired. Vanoy filed for divorce in 2002, shortly after Jordan decided to retire from the sport. Although the couple temporarily reconciled, their divorce was imminent and they split for good in 2006.

So who is Michael Jordan’s ex-wife? Here’s everything you need to know about Juanita Vanoy.

Vanoy was born and raised in Chicago

Vanoy was born on June 13, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up on the city’s South Side, the fifth of six girls. As a teenager, she attended Finger Academy High School and played on the girls basketball team.

“I’ve always loved basketball. I mean, even when I was in high school, I was on the girls basketball team,” Vanoy said in a 1991 interview.

She held various jobs before meeting Jordan

After high school, Vanoy worked to earn an associate’s degree from a local community college. While studying, she worked for several organizations, including the American Bar Association and real estate investment management company Heitman Financial Services. She was working as a loan officer at a Chicago bank when she first met Jordan.

Over the next few years, Vanoy also worked as a newspaper cultural columnist, a magazine feature writer, and even obtained a real estate license.

Vanoy and Jordan met for the first time at a restaurant after the Chicago Bulls game

Jordan first met Vanoy in March 1985, when the two were introduced by a mutual friend at a Bennigan’s restaurant in Chicago. Earlier in the night, Vanoy attended a Bulls basketball game, where she was in the crowd watching Jordan play, but little did she know he would one day become her husband.

They married in Las Vegas in September 1989

Vanoy and Jordan had their ups and downs before getting married. After dating for a few years, Jordan proposed on New Year’s Eve 1987, and soon after, the couple became pregnant with their first child. However, their marriage negotiations reached an impasse, and for a time Vanoy considered filing a paternity lawsuit.

“Juanita felt this was something she needed to do. (Jordan) was clearly not responsive to her needs or the needs of her unborn child. If you ignore it, it’s not going to go away,” her attorney Michael Minton Tell chicago tribune.

While the couple’s legal team negotiated a settlement, Vanoy gave birth to their son in November 1988. Ten months later, the couple married at 3:30 a.m. at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas. Jordan said at the time that he was worried that his friends would object to the marriage, so it was best to keep it private.

“I told Juanita that I was worried that too many people would raise their hands when the pastor asked if anyone was against the marriage. “I didn’t believe my friends because they thought this was the beginning of another phase of my life, They know it’s going to limit them,” Jordan told People.

He continued, “So I said, ‘If you want to do it, we’ll do it now.'” We’d both had a few drinks and lost the gamble—it was like our bachelor’s night. So we got married at 3:30 in the morning in the wedding chapel. I did say, “In five years, maybe we can have a church wedding.” That’s what Juanita was counting on. “She said she was deprived of those precious moments.”

They had differences from the beginning of their marriage

From the early days of their relationship, Jordan admitted that he and Vanoy were very different. Back in 1993, Jordan said that his approach to life was more of a “Southern attitude,” while Vanoy was more of a city girl. He also explained that Vanoy wanted to spend more nights out with him, but he “lost the desire to go out” and had to “force” himself because he believed she was worthy of his attention.

“I’m more hometown Southern and Juanita is more urban. When my good friends come over from North Carolina, I don’t mind letting them stay and sleep on the floor—that’s the Southern attitude. But Juanita I believe these people are adults now. She would say, ‘Make sure they find a hotel,'” Jordan told People.

They have three children: Jeffrey, Marcus and Jasmine

Over the course of their relationship, Vanoy and Jordan welcomed three children. Their son Jeffrey was born in 1988, and the two later tied the knot. They welcomed their second son, Marcus, in December 1990, followed by daughter Jasmine in December 1992.

As their children grow up, the couple’s three children stay out of the spotlight. Looking back, Jasmine says it was largely her mother’s decision.

“My dad always said, ‘You go out and do what you want to do, and if you want that life, I support you.'” My mom was more like, “I’m going to raise you the way I think you should be.” You, once you grow up, you can decide what you want to do.” We all grew up in Chicago and our families would come over every weekend and my mom made us understand where we came from and this life was a blessing , don’t take it for granted,” Jasmine told InStyle.

Vanoy filed for divorce in 2002, but their relationship reconciled

In January 2002, Vanoy filed for divorce after 12 years of marriage. The decision came shortly after Jordan decided to retire and play for the NBA’s Washington Wizards. In the filing, Vanoy seeks permanent custody of their children, ownership of their Chicago mansion and an equitable share of their marital assets. Meanwhile, Jordan said their efforts to save their marriage had failed and future efforts “would be unrealistic and not in the best interests of the family.”

In the days after the news broke, Jordan briefly addressed the media at basketball practice, telling reporters: “When you have personal problems, sometimes work is a good way to work it out and move on. “In the long run Look, things will work out. ”

Things were eventually resolved for the couple, who announced just a month later that they were working to reconcile with their petition.

They eventually filed for divorce again in 2006

After their initial split in 2002, Jordan and Vanoy decided to stay together. Their marriage lasted for several years, but in 2006, they filed for divorce again. Their lawyers said in a statement that the split was amicable.

“Michael and Juanita Jordan have mutually and amicably decided to end their marriage of 17 years. A judgment dissolving their marriage was entered today. There will be no further announcement,” their attorney told People.

Vanoy received $168 million settlement after divorce

Following their split, Fankoy received one of the largest celebrity divorce settlements in sports history. Although Jordan received ownership of their Chicago mansion, Vankoy was awarded $168 million in damages.

She now owns a luxury clothing boutique

In the years following Vanoy and Jordan’s divorce, she focused on raising their children. Although she said she dreamed of starting her own business, her children came first at the time.

“I thought I should start my own business. But it was important to me to stay in my kids’ lives as much as possible, even during college. It takes a lot of time,” she told Chicago Business in 2013 Newspaper”.

Now that the children are grown, Vanoy finally has the opportunity to start his own business. She now manages a luxury online resale boutique called Juanita World. A “self-proclaimed shopaholic,” Vanoy sells designer clothing, handbags, shoes, belts and jewelry, including pieces from her own collection.

Vanoy also serves as co-producer on a Broadway production in 2022 Some people like it hot.

Vanoy not included on Jordan’s roster last dance Record

When Jordan Documentary last dance When it was released in 2020, many fans noticed Vanoy’s complete absence from the film – despite being a huge part of Jordan’s career. The couple’s daughter Jasmine was later asked about the incident and said her mother was not worried about not being included.

“At the end of the day, if you ask my mom, she survived. There’s no point in dwelling on the past and bringing up what happened when the proof is in the pudding. She was at the championship game. She was at the retirement ceremony. We saw her in all her glory. …So no, I don’t think there’s a need to rehash and go through it all. “She’s already been through it,” she said in a Facebook live chat with Essence.