What happened to Juanita Vanoy? All you need to know about Michael Jordan's ex-wife

What happened to Juanita Vanoy? All you need to know about Michael Jordan's ex-wife

Michael Jordan is a legendary former basketball player. In addition to his basketball prowess, he has excelled as a businessperson and actor. Jordan is also a family man; his first wife is Juanita Vanoy. The couple was together for around 17 years. Find out what happened to Juanita Vanoy after the marriage ended.

Juanita Vanoy
Juanita Vanoy had a relatively modest life as a fashion model. Photo: @OTDinthe80s on X (Twitter), @MichaelJordanUltimateFanpage on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Juanita Vanoy and Michael Jordan separated in 2006. Despite their separation, she remains a subject of interest among enthusiastic fans. Discover below her whereabouts and what she does for a living.

Profile summary

Full name Juanita Vanoy
Gender Female
Date of birth 13 June 1959
Age 65 years (as of 2024)
Zodiac sign Gemini
Place of birth Chicago, Illinois, USA
ResidenceUSA
Nationality American
EthnicityMixed
Religion Christian
Sexuality Straight
Height5'5" (165 cm)
Hair color Black
Eye color Dark brown
Marital status Divorced
Ex-husband Michael Jordan
Children Jeffrey, Marcus, Jasmine
ParentsJohn and Dorothy
Siblings 5
EducationChristian Fencer High School, American University.
Current professionsBusinesswoman, philanthropist
Net worth $200 million (estimated)

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Who is Juanita Vanoy?

Juanita Vanoy is an American former model who gained significant recognition as the wife of one of the greatest basketball players in history.

Where was Juanita Vanoy born?

She was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on 13 June 1959.

How old is Juanita Jordan?

She is 65 years old as of 2024. Born on 13 June 1959, her zodiac sign is Gemini.

What is the nationality of Juanita Vanoy?

Michael Jordan's ex-wife is an American with a mixed ethnic background.

Juanita Vanoy's parents and siblings

She was raised on the south side of Chicago by her dad, John, and her mum, Dorothy. Juanita also grew up alongside her five siblings: Gwendolyn Hicks, Jacqueline Rogers, Rhonda Armstrong, Bernetta B. Vanoy, and Margaret Vanoy.

Educational background

Juanita attended Christian Fencer High School and later went on to American University.

Juanita Vanoy
Facts about Juanita Vanoy. Photo: @JuanitaJordan23 on X (Twitter) (modified by author)
Source: Original

What does Juanita Vanoy do for a living?

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She owns a boutique, Juanita World, and co-owns a non-profit organization. The boutique resells designer goods such as clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories. Vanoy has also dipped her toes into the real estate industry.

Before her relationship with Michael Jordan, Vanoy had a relatively modest life as a fashion model. She later became a secretary at the American Bar Association.

After being an executive secretary for several years, Juanita became a loan officer before crossing paths with Michael.

What is Juanita Vanoy's net worth?

Celebritynetworth reports she is worth around $200 million. Juanita achieved financial success in her professional career, but her net worth reached new heights following a substantial post-divorce settlement from her former husband.

How much money did Michael Jordan's first wife get?

Vanoy received $168 million as a divorce settlement, making it one of the most expensive divorces in history. She also received a seven-acre Lake Shore Drive Penthouse in Chicago, resulting in an impressive estimate of her net worth of $200 million.

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What happened to Juanita Vanoy's house?

In 2014, Juanita sold the seven-acre Lake Shore Drive Penthouse for $3.2 million.

Juanita Vanoy
Jordan was an NBA rookie with the Bulls when he met Vanoy. Photo: @Ben Rose on Getty Images, @basketballforever on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

How did Juanita Vanoy and Michael Jordan meet?

They were introduced to each other by a mutual friend in the 1980s. Juanita was working as a loan officer while pursuing a degree when she met Michael at a Chicago Bennigan's restaurant in 1984.

At the time, Jordan was an NBA rookie heading into his second season with the Bulls. A few weeks after they were introduced, the two met for a second time at a party.

They instantly hit it off and embarked on a dating journey for a few years. Eventually, Michael proposed on 31 December 1987.

Their engagement initially faced a setback after Vanoy had their first child. Michael initially doubted he was Jeffrey's father. So, Juanita served him with a legal paternity claim.

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Eventually, the couple reconciled and wedded in Las Vegas in September 1989 when Jeffrey was ten months old. Juanita and Jordan's relationship would later encounter turbulence due to allegations of his affairs with other women, including American actress/model Amy Hunter.

Why did Vanoy and Jordan end their marriage?

Reports suggest that Jordan's alleged extramarital affair with Karla Knafel in the 1990s played a role in their divorce in 2006, but Michael denied it.

Nevertheless, he later admitted to having a relationship with Knafel in 2002, when he sued her for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief.

Juanita Vanoy
Jordan's alleged affair with Karla ended his marriage with Juanita. Photo: @MichaelJordanUltimateFanpage on Facebook, @culturalfame on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Knafel is a former American model and actress. The court dismissed her claims that Jordan had promised to pay her money when he retired. In exchange, she would keep quiet about a child they had in 1991 and not file a paternity suit.

Karla said the basketball star urged her to abort, but she refused due to personal beliefs. So, Jordan made a deal with her to resolve their problems but retired in 1998 without paying her. Instead, he filed a lawsuit stating their contract was unenforceable extortion.

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When two paternity tests revealed Jordan was not the father of Knafel's child, she admitted to having slept with another man during her relationship with Jordan.

Nonetheless, Karla still argued that the paternity was irrelevant since Jordan had made a verbal contract with her at the time.

Did Michael Jordan have kids with Juanita?

Their marriage was blessed with three children: sons Jeffrey Michael Jordan (born 1988) and Marcus Jordan (born 1990) and daughter Jasmine M. Jordan (born 1992).

Although Juanita mainly raised the children while Jordan focused on his career, he would still make time for their children. However, Jordan's relationship with their second child changed after he and Juanita divorced in 2006.

Marcus noted how his dad would greet him like his fellow NBA players whenever they played baseball together. At some point, he would call his mom to report how his dad picked on him during practice.

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Juanita Vanoy
Juanita Vanoy is close to all her children. Photo: @heirmj523 on Instagram, @culturalfame on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The two patched up their differences. Marcus now owns a boutique store called the Trophy Room and is dating Larsa Pippen. According to him, his dad respects his relationship with Larsa Pippen. So, the two are still together despite their brief split in February 2024.

The two have been making headlines since December 2022 because Larsa Pippen is 16 years older than Marcus. She was also married to his father's Bulls teammate, Scottie Pippen, from 1997 to 2021.

On the other hand, the firstborn, Jeffrey, works with Jordan Brand's digital team. Both he and Marcus played college basketball but did not join the NBA.

Meanwhile, Juanita Jordan's youngest child, Jasmine, is an executive at Nike and welcomed a son in 2019 with her husband, NBA player Rakeem Christmas. She previously worked for the Charlotte Hornets team, which her dad used to own.

Juanita Vanoy's daughter thinks she is the meanest child in the family. She once tagged her mum in an Instagram post:

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I am my mom's meanest child. Do I care? No.

Juanita re-posted it on her Instagram story with a caption:

You get it from your mamma.

Vanoy is close to all her children. Their relationship is often displayed publicly when they tag her on social media. Marcus even once shared an image of them having dinner with their mum.

Did Juanita Vanoy remarry?

It has never been reported that Juanita Vanoy remarried since she and Michael Jordan divorced in 2006. Meanwhile, Michael married Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto in 2013, and they welcomed twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel, in February 2014.

Juanita Vanoy
Michael married model Yvette Prieto almost seven years after divorcing Juanita. Photo: @latinamagazine on Facebook, @Il matrimonio perfetto on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

What happened to Michael Jordan's first wife?

For fans wondering where Juanita Jordan is now, the former fashion model sold the seven-acre property the NBA star left her as a divorce settlement.

Where is Juanita Vanoy?

She found a new home in the USA, but not in Chicago, as reports claim. Neither does she drive a Rolls Royce. Despite her financial success, Michael Jordan's ex-wife maintains a low-key lifestyle, focusing on activities that bring her joy and tranquility.

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Is Juanita Vanoy on Wikipedia?

Wikipedia has not featured her story as of 12 August 2024, but numerous blogs have written about her.

Is Juanita Jordan on Instagram?

She adversities shoes, bags, jewelry, and other fashionable items on her verified Instagram account, @iamtheonlyonejuanita.

Facts about Juanita Vanoy

  • She practices yoga.
  • She likes to travel.
  • She is passionate about art.
  • She wanted to be a theatre acting producer on Broadway.
  • She held off her dream career for the sake of her children.

Juanita Vanoy's journey from model to mother, real estate businesswoman, fashion entrepreneur, and philanthropist highlights her ability to adjust to different stages of life gracefully. Her story displays resilience and is a powerful reminder that one can find genuine fulfillment through one's choices.

Yen.com.gh published an article on Gloria Marie James. She is famous for being the mother of NBA superstar and MVP LeBron James.

Her son is among the top basketball players of his generation. According to LeBron James, his mother has nurtured his sports talent.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Peris Walubengo avatar

Peris Walubengo (Lifestyle writer) Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 5 years of experience writing articles, researching, editing, and proofreading. She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Yen.com.gh in April 2022. The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course. She covers bios, marketing & finance, tech, fashion & beauty, recipes, movies & gaming reviews, culture & travel. You can email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.

Mave Muturi avatar

Mave Muturi Mave Muturi is a content creator and film writer with 2 years of experience in TV drama at Citizen TV Kenya (Mother-in-law program). Mave is Peace Ambassador at Global Peace Foundation. She holds a Diploma in Human Resource Management from Mount Kenya University, in 2015. Mave joined Yen.com.gh as a writer in February 2023, covering celebrity biographies and entertainment. She can be reached via nguhimuturi@gmail.com

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