Michael Jordan had a charm that attracted massive crowds to the bleachers at the Chicago Bulls‘ home turf. His flashy abilities on the court earned the respect of fans who weren’t followers of the Bulls. At times, all he had to do was pick up a basketball and dribble it to get media attention. MJ’s presence in the NBA community has been pivotal for youngsters who aspired to match his overall success.
The GOAT owed it all to his skills on the court which eventually led to him crossing paths with Juanita Vanoy. Both of them were allegedly head over heels for each other and inseparable. Jordan met Juanita in 1985, shortly after he was drafted into the NBA. In 1987, the Hall of Famer decided to pop the question. Two years later, they exchanged vows at the altar and made things official.
This marriage eventually welcomed Jeffery, Marcus, and Jasmine into the world. Michael Jordan went on to have a beautiful career that earned him the right to be recognized as the NBA’s greatest player of all time. Juanita was always at his beck and call, giving him the support he needed at the time. However, 17 years of marriage wasn’t enough to solidify a happy ending.
Juanita Vanoy shuts down Michael Jordan for publicly embarrassing her
During an interview that took place several years ago, Michael Jordan was asked to describe Vanoy. He said, “Very nice, very demanding. 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.” Juanita chimed in while Jordan spoke, saying, “Thank you very much you know.” Vanoy seemed flattered by all the compliments except for a joke that Jordan made in the mix.
He jokingly mentioned that Vanoy was still “learning to cook” to which she took offense. Vanoy laughed and said, “You laughed at a good wife, a great wife.” Even though this may not have been why Juanita and Jordan split, she claimed it was him who caused a tear in their relationship. Several media outlets stated that Jordan’s crippling addiction to gambling and his cheating ways led to the divorce.
Michael Jordan and wife Juanita Vanoy ended their 17-year marriage in 2006. In the settlement, she won $168 million, the seven-acre estate in Chicago, and custody of their three children. One of the largest settlements in sports history. She was notably missing from #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/tJljXaNe2p
— Twisted History (@twistedhistory) May 28, 2020
Michael Jordan ended up leaving Juanita in 2006 despite making efforts to repair their relationship. MJ had to pay $168 million to Vanoy which happens to be the largest amount paid toward a divorce settlement in sports history. Jordan has since earned his second shot at love with Yvette Prieto. He met her at a club in 2008 and tied the knot in 2013. The couple welcomed twin daughters a year later.
Why was Juanita Vanoy excluded from ‘The Last Dance’?
For some context, ‘The Last Dance’ was a documentary produced by ESPN and Netflix. It was based mainly on Jordan, and the 1997-98 NBA season, before the Bulls completed their second three-peat. At the time, Jordan was married to Juanita Vanoy, but she still was not included in the infamous series that was released in 2020. The world raised several questions at the time of its release, especially considering Vanoy was still a huge part of MJ’s life.
The series’ director, spoke to The Athletic about his decision to completely leave out Vanoy. He said, “I wasn’t interested in the opinion of any wife or kids in this. We had the storytellers we wanted, and I felt like we had the story covered from every angle.” That was the only time someone part of the filming crew addressed the matter.
But Jordan and Vanoy’s daughter, Jasmine, spoke about the issue as well. She said in a Facebook Live chat with Essence that there was no need for her mother to go down that memory lane once again. She claims that Juanita had lived through all the moments that were displayed, and that it would only do more bad than good to revisit them.
