“For me it’s Jeffery, Marcus, and Jasmine”: Michael Jordan's ex-wife Juanita shares parenting wisdom on addressing multiple children
Michael Jordan had a marriage with his ex-wife Juanita Vanoy that lasted for 17 years. The two have three children together, two sons - Jeffery and Marcus, and a daughter, Jasmine.
Having had so much parenting experience, Juanita shared the firsthand wisdom she has acquired. Taking to Instagram the former partner of the NBA great posted:
"Someone asked me if I realized that I always refer to my children in order of their age 😂 I’ve never thought about it. For me it’s habitually automatic… Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine in that order! How about you out there? Do you do this?"
During his time with Juanita Vanoy, Michael Jordan cherished their shared experiences. Juanita stood by him throughout his incredible professional basketball career, marked by six league titles and numerous prestigious individual awards.
In a 1990s interview, the Chicago Bulls icon expressed the significance of his then-wife in his life.
"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."
However, during the conversation, he unintentionally caused embarrassment to Vanoy by referencing her cooking, which she appeared to be in the process of learning at the time.
Looking at Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy's marriage
Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy were married from 1989 to 2006, during which time they had three children together. Following their split, Vanoy reportedly received a substantial $168 million in divorce settlements from the Chicago Bulls legend, marking it as the costliest separation for a celebrity athlete at the time.
Their divorce was due to irreconcilable differences, as Juanita had initially filed for divorce in 2002, although they briefly reconciled before their final and costly breakup in 2006.
Michael Jordan's divorce settlement was later exceeded by Mel Gibson in the same year. Gibson reportedly paid his ex-wife, Robyn Moore Gibson, an estimated $425 million after their 26-year marriage.
Furthermore, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's divorce holds the current record for celebrities at $2.7 billion, while Tiger Woods' divorce from Elin Nordegren was for $710 million in 2010.
Following his separation from Vanoy, Michael Jordan began dating model Yvette Prieto in 2008, and the couple became engaged in 2011 after Jordan's proposal.
They were married in 2013 in a private ceremony at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida, with a select guest list that included notable figures like Tiger Woods, Spike Lee, and Patrick Ewing.
The couple has maintained a private family life, only making public appearances during significant events, and they welcomed twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel, in 2014.