Meet Juanita Vanoy, Michael Jordan First Wife. Her Net Worth.

At this point, it is safe to say that Michael Jordan has transcended the sport of basketball. Undoubtedly the greatest player to have ever played the game, there are not a lot of people who have not heard of Michael Jordan. Once the face of Nike, everything Jordan touched instantly rose to worldwide fame. While everything about the man has been either written or made into movies, his early life with Juanita Vanoy remains relatively secret. Juanita is Jordan’s first wife and the pair stayed together for quite a while. In this article, we take a closer look at the wiki-bio of Juanita Vanoy.

Juanita Vanoy is an American businesswoman, former model, and philanthropist who is best known as the ex-wife of Michael Jordan, the legendary basketball player.

Early Life and Career:

Juanita Vanoy was born on the 13th of June 1959, in Chicago, Illinois. Born and raised in Chicago, little is known about Juanita. Before her association with Jordan, Juanita enjoyed life away from the eye of the media. But as an aspiring model, one could always say that Juanita was destined for fame. Much of Juanita’s professional life revolved around Jordan and his career.

She began her professional life as a model but later started working as an executive secretary for the American Bar Association. She later started working as a loan officer at Heitman Financial Services. A fan of writing, Juanita wrote every now and then for Copley News Service. Following her marriage to Jordan, Juanita co-founded and then managed the Michael and Juanita Jordan Endowment Fund.

Meeting Jordan:

Juanita and Michael in 1984 at a Bennigan restaurant in Chicago. During the time, Juanita was working as a loan officer and was trying to earn her associate’s degree. Jordan was just coming off a Bulls game and was introduced to Juanita by a mutual friend. The pair took an instant liking to each other and Jordan proposed on New Year’s Eve in 1987.

Problems along the way:

While Juanita said Yes in 1987, it took the pair another two years to get married. On the 18th of November, 1988, Juanita gave birth to Jeffrey Michael Jordan, who is the eldest son of Michael Jordan. During the Pregnancy of Jeffrey, Juanita felt that Michael would not listen to her and even went so far as to hire a legal representative. But after a few months, Michael admitted the paternity, and the pair tied the knot on the 2nd of September 1989, at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas.

Life as a mother:

Following the marriage, Juanita and Michael went on to have two more children. Their second child Marcus Jordan was born on December 24, 1990, and was followed by a daughter, Jasmine M. Jordan who was born on December 7, 1992. While all three of Jordan’s and Juanita’s children played basketball, none of them decided to go to the NBA. As a mother, Juanita always encouraged her kids to not take credit from their father and make a name for themselves.

“When they were growing up, most coaches wanted them to wear No. 23. insisted that they not do that. It was important to me. 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.”

Divorce:

Juanita first filed for divorce from Jordan in 2002 citing irreconcilable differences. However, Juanita withdrew her application after a month and the pair were committed to working things out. However, things did not change and in 2006, Juanita and Jordan announced their divorce. A statement from the pair’s lawyer read,

“Michael and Juanita Jordan mutually and amicably decided to end their 17-year marriage. A judgment for the dissolution of their marriage was entered today. There will be no further statements”.

She received a total of $168 million in the settlement, recorded as one of the largest celebrity divorce settlements during the period. A lot of rumors spread citing the reasons why Vanoy filed for divorce among them Jordan’s alleged affair with Karla Knafel is the most famous one.

Life After:

Juanita Vanoy has been living a low-key life after her divorce from Michael Jordan in 2006. She reportedly got custody of their three children and their seven-acre mansion in Chicago. On the relationship side of things, she has remained single and focused on raising her children and pursuing her interests. She maintains a cordial relationship with Michael Jordan and communicates with him mostly about their children. She is supportive of her children’s endeavors and often attends their events. Her son Jeffrey works for the Jordan brand, her son Marcus owns a sneaker store, and her daughter Jasmine works for Nike. She enjoys yoga, traveling, and collecting art. Also, she is involved in various charitable causes including James R. Jordan Foundation.

Net Worth:

 Juanita Vanoy has an estimated net worth of $170 million. She earned most of her wealth from her divorce settlement with Michael Jordan, which was reported to be $168 million in 2006.

Social Media:

Juanita Vanoy does not have a strong social media presence. She is a private person who prefers to avoid publicity and cameras. She does not have any official accounts on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, or any other platforms. She has some fan pages and accounts dedicated to her on various platforms, but they are not verified or endorsed by her. She occasionally appears on her children’s social media posts, especially on special occasions like birthdays and holidays.

Physical Traits:

• Height: 167 centimeters or 5 feet 6 inches.
• Eye color: Dark Brown
• Hair color: Brunette
• Skin color: Brown
• Body measurements: 34-26-28 inches
• Distinctive features: Plump lips and Curvy figure

Likes and Interests:

Some of her likes and interests are:

• Collecting art, especially from African-American artists.
• Practicing Bikram yoga to stay fit.
• Traveling to new and exotic locations, such as France, Italy, and London.
• Spending time with her children and family.
• Giving back to society through charity and scholarship funds.

A quick write on her ex-husband Michael Jordan:

Michael Jordan is an American retired professional basketball player, widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. He was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, but grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Jordan attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he played basketball for three seasons and helped the team win the NCAA championship in 1982. He then entered the NBA draft in 1984 and was selected by the Chicago Bulls.

Jordan quickly became a sensation in the NBA, winning the Rookie of the Year award in his first season. He led the league in scoring ten times, won five Most Valuable Player awards, and was selected to the All-Star team 14 times. He also won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, earning Finals MVP honors in all six series.

In addition to his on-court success, Jordan was also a marketing phenomenon, appearing in numerous commercials and endorsing products from Nike to Gatorade. He even starred in the movie Space Jam in 1996.

Jordan retired from basketball in 1993 to pursue a career in baseball but returned to the NBA in 1995 and won three more championships with the Bulls before retiring again in 1998. He briefly came out of retirement again in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards before retiring for good in 2003.

Jordan’s impact on basketball and popular culture is immeasurable, and he continues to be a prominent figure in sports and business. He is currently the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets NBA team and has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice, as an individual and as a member of the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team.”