It was about the time of his NBA draft debut that Michael Jordan got married for the first time. Jordan and Juanita Vanoy exchanged vows in 1989. Jordan discussed his reasons for wanting to get married so young in an interview with Vanity Fair Magazine. Being a husband and a father, according to Jordan, “provided a balance and a focus away from basketball.” If I had been single, playing basketball, and earning a lot of money, I could have made some poor judgments and possibly gotten into some sort of problems. I’m not sure what type of trouble, though.
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In 2006, the couple formally parted ways. Vanoy’s share of the divorce settlement was $168 million. According to a number of publications, it was the biggest celebrity settlement at the time. The divorce’s motive is still a secret. “Due to irreconcilable differences,” said the pair’s official announcement.
It would have been an even bigger hit on Jordan’s pocket if the divorce had taken place in 2024. Adjusting the inflation cost for the current year, the amount is a staggering $257,014,166. Since Michael Jordan paid the reported amount of $168 million, he currently would have to pay an extra $89,014,166.
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto riding the waves of marriage
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Even after such a public separation, Michael Jordan was in love again. In 2013 he married his current wife, then long-time girlfriend Yvette Prieto. In 2014, Jordan became the first NBA player to become a billionaire. According to reports from Sportico, Jordan is the highest earning athlete of all time earning $3.75 Billion in 2024.
After public separation, Michael Jordan has kept his private life very secretive, and his wife Yvette Prieto does the same. The couple doesn’t seem to post on social media. Apart from a few public appearances, the media hardly captures them. According to Jordan’s in-depth 2013 interview with ESPN, their private security team gives the pair fake names to avoid unwanted attention.
Jordan and Prieto have agreed to a prenuptial agreement. If the couple filed for divorce before completing 10 years together, Prieto would earn $1 million per year. They completed their 10th – anniversary last year, and according to the agreement Prieto now will earn $5 million for every year the couple was together.