"Learning to cook" - Michael Jordan once hilariously embarrassed ex-wife Juanita Vanoy in rare interview
NBA great Michael Jordan valued the time he shared with his former wife Juanita Vanoy when they were still together. She was with him throughout his illustrious professional playing career, highlighted by six league titles and a host of top individual awards.
In one of his interviews in the 1990s, the Chicago Bulls legend spoke about what his then-wife meant to him. Along the way, though, he unwittingly embarrassed Vanoy when he alluded to her cooking, which, at the time, she was seemingly in the process of learning.
Jordan said:
“Her? Very independent, very demanding, and, of course, you know, very caring. Good mother. Learning to cook. I love her to death, though. I mean she’s got a sense of humor just by hanging around her.”
Caught off-guard, a red-faced Vanoy just laughed it off and hugged Jordan.
Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy met in 1985, early in his NBA career. Two years later, he proposed to her, and in 1989, they got married. They have three children, sons Jeffrey and Marcus, and daughter Jasmine.
Their union lasted for 17 years. Despite efforts to repair their strained relationship, both amicably decided to end it for good. Jordan, though, had to pay Vanoy $168 million as settlement. The amount was the largest celebrity divorce settlement on public record at the time.
Vanoy now owns luxury clothing boutique Juanita World, which sells designer clothes, handbags, shoes, belts and jewelry. Last year, she was a co-producer of the Broadway musical comedy 'Some Like It Hot'. She has not remarried since splitting with MJ.
Jordan, meanwhile, recently owned the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA before recently selling his majority stake for around $3 billion. He's now married to Yvette Prieto since 2013 and have twin daughters.
Who is Michael Jordan’s current wife?
After separation with his first wife, Michael Jordan met Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto in 2008. They moved in together in 2009 and got engaged two years later.
They tied the knot on Apr. 27, 2013, and less than a year later, welcomed twin daughters Victoria and Ysabel on Feb. 11, 2014. That made it five children for Jordan from two marriages.
The 5-foot-6 Prieto is now 44 and grew up in Miami. By profession, she endorses several fashion brands and previously worked in the real estate and healthcare industries,
She and Jordan have chosen to keep their family lives low-key and as private as possible.