Michael Jordan's Ex-Wife: 5 Things To Know About Juanita Vanoy
Michael Jordan recently made headlines because of "The Last Dance." It is ESPN's latest docu-series offering a look about the 1997-1998 championship season of the Chicago Bulls.
It also included an in-depth look at the personal life of the great MJ.
However, it seems as if "The Last Dance" missed to include an important person in the NBA legend's life and career. While the basketball superstar may be married to Yvette Prieto now, he was with Juanita Vanoy when the film was shot.
They did not split until 2006 after his NBA career ended. Where is Jordan's ex-wife? Who is Juanita Vanoy? Here are five things to know about her:
She was a loan officer when they met
According to the report released by The Chicago Tribune, Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy met in 1989 after a Bulls game. Back then, Jordan was still starting out his career in the professional league while Vanoy was a loan officer struggling to earn her associate's degree.
The two got married in the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas the same year.
Jordan noted that his life took a wonderful change when he and Vanoy got married.
"I'm happy. It was a big move getting married," Jordan told "The Chicago Tribune. "It helped me mature."
The former couple share three children namely Jeff, Marcus, and Jasmine. All three of their children are grown up and are now out on their own making a career for themselves.
Vanoy didn't want her kids to take on jersey no. 23.
Both of Jordan's sons with Vanoy played for their college basketball teams. Although supportive of their desire to play the sport, Juanita had one request for her children.
She didn't want them to wear a jersey with the no. 23 on it.
"When they were growing up, most coaches wanted them to wear No. 23," Vanoy shared with Crain's Chicago Business.
Vanoy, however, insisted not to do that. She emphasized how important it was for her that her children are able to make a name for themselves.
"I wanted to make sure that their skills were going to be what they made them and that it was based on how hard they worked," Vanoy added.
The mother of three wanted to make sure that her children are able to live their lives away from the shadow of their successful father.
Vanoy received one of the largest divorce settlements in history.
The decision to file for a divorce in 2006 to end their 17 years of marriage was mutually and amicably decided by both Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy. When their lawyers made the announcement, no other details were given.
Juanita and Michael have both remained quiet about it.
However, according to the report by Chicago Business, Vanoy received $168 million in divorce settlements, one of the largest on record. At that time, she had an active real estate license and was looking at starting her own business.
Vanoy is expected not to be included in "The Last Dance"
Neither Vanoy nor Jordan's current wife Prieto will be included in "The Last Dance." The director Jason Hehir explained that it was his decision not to include spouses in the interviews. He limited them to former NBA players, coaches, and executives.
"I wasn't interested in the opinion of any wife or kids in this," Hehir explained to The Athletic's Richard Deitsch.
The director said that he had the storytellers he wanted and it felt like he got the narrative he wanted, covering the angles of Jordan's professional life.
Juanita Vanoy kept in touch with her ex-husband.
When Michael Jordan and current wife Yvette Prieto welcomed their twin daughters in 2014, family and friends congratulated them -- including his ex-wife Juanita Vanoy. However, the 60-year old real estate business woman admitted that they never talked about his new relationship.
In fact, she said that Michael did not tell her about getting married again even though they have kept in touch at the time.
"Mostly, our conversations are about children. I don't remember him saying, 'By the way, I'm getting married," she said.
Both Vanoy and Jordan have moved on from their relationship, but they remain good parents to their three children.
Although there was no talk of her in "The Last Dance" documentary, Vanoy remains to be one of the significant people in Michael Jordan's life. She is after all the mother to his three wonderful children.
