How many times has Michael Jordan married? Taking a closer look at NBA icon's marital life
Michael Jordan’s name is synonymous with basketball and the NBA, given his success. He chartered a very desirable path, winning six championships and gaining a lot of popularity in the process. Jordan shot to stardom during his time with the Chicago Bulls, dominating his era both statistically and by winning.
Jordan has built an empire for himself, given his success on the court and popularity derived from it. His “Jumpman” brand has been around since his playing days but doesn’t stop amassing attention.
Jordan’s personal life hasn’t floated around media as much, but few events in his off-court life have sparked interest. Jordan’s first marriage was to Juanita Vanoy in 1989 – a relationship that lasted 17 years before they got a divorce in 2006. The pair share three children named Jeffrey, Marcus and Jasmine.
Back in the day, MJ’s divorce was said to be the costliest divorce in history – with Juanita receiving hundreds of millions. Both of Jordan’s sons took an interest in basketball and played at the college level. Jeffrey played point guard for the University of Central Florida between 2007 and 2012. Marcus joined his brother at UCF in 2010 and went on to earn All-Freshman Team honors as well.
Michael Jordan and wife Juanita Vanoy ended their 17-year marriage in 2006. In the settlement, she won $168 million, the seven-acre estate in Chicago, and custody of their three children. One of the largest settlements in sports history. She was notably missing from #TheLastDance https://t.co/tJljXaNe2p
Jordan’s impact fell on his daughter, Jasmine, too, but in a different way. She chose to go on the professional side of sports and went to Syracuse University, where she studied sports management. Jefferey and Jasmine are now involved with Nike's Jordan Brand. She works in the sports marketing division, predominantly working with female athletes.
Jasmine recently gave her take on working for the family brand, saying:
“It’s powerful. It’s special. To have the name and work for the brand, it doesn’t feel real. People say all the time, ‘That’s your brand.’ I say, ‘No, it’s not,’ (but) yes, it is. I’m aware of it, but I don’t think about it as much as people around me do. I’m blessed with the name and an opportunity, but I don’t take it for granted.”
Michael Jordan’s second wife
A year after his divorce, Michael Jordan met Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto at a club. Shortly after that, they started dating and moved in together in 2009. A few years later, Jordan and Prieto decided to tie the knot in 2013 in a grand wedding ceremony.
The wedding was a star-studded event, with names like Patrick Ewing, Tiger Woods, Scottie Pippen, Usher and Robin Thicke gracing the ceremony. The entire event, which was set in Florida, Miami, is said to have cost them $10 million.
Jordan stayed true to his competitive self, setting a record at his own wedding – the largest tent in wedding history. The wedding tent reportedly spanned 40,000 square feet.
Michael Jordan walks through the garage area with his wife Yvette Prieto before the 32nd annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on Sunday, June 6, 2021. #sonomaraceway @RaceSonoma #nascar @nascar @BayAreaSportsHQ https://t.co/PqIqMFza9I
Jordan and Prieto were blessed with two daughters a year later, welcoming identical twins Ysabel and Victoria into their family. The Jordan family is not seen in the media as much, given MJ’s desire to keep his life private.