mobile app bar

Michael Jordan, Who Dropped $10 Million On Health Centers, Used His Wedding With Yvette Prieto To Honor His Father, James Jordan

Samir Mehdi
Published

Michael Jordan, Who Dropped $10 Million On Health Centers, Used His Wedding With Yvette Prieto To Honor His Father, James Jordan

Michael Jordan met Juanita Vanoy in 1985 at a restaurant after a Chicago Bulls game. The two would have sparks fly between them almost instantaneously and before he knew it, he had tied the knot with her mere 4 years down the line. They would have 3 children together; Marcus, Jeffrey, and Jasmine. 

However, after a slew of rumors regarding Jordan’s extramarital activities, Juanita had had enough and filed for divorce in 2002. She would eventually withdraw the petition but by the time 2007 had rolled around, MJ was forking over $168 million in one of the largest divorce settlements of all time. 

Jordan would not sulk for long as he would soon bump into Cuban model, Yvette Prieto, at a night-club. The two would form a bond with one another and in 2013, had a wedding of epic proportions that reportedly cost a total of $10 million.

Also read: Michael Jordan, Having Spent $20 Million On A Golf Course, Admitted Golf Made Him More Nervous Than Basketball

Michael Jordan raised donation money at his wedding 

Michael Jordan refused to accept any gifts from his wedding guests. Instead, he made them donate various amounts of money to his foundation, the James R. Jordan Foundation. It was founded by Michael and his mother, Deloris, to honor their late father and husband, respectively. 

This foundation of theirs looks to support local youths and families. James Jordan was a man who was extremely close to Michael both in childhood and adulthood. While he was tough on him, the bond the two shared was inseparable. 

So much of what Jordan did was to honor his father’s name, including his 4th championship in 1996, as he proudly exclaimed, “This is for daddy.” Him leaving the Bulls to pursue Minor League Baseball with the Birmingham Barons was also due to his father always wanting him to give baseball a shot. 

Michael Jordan has donated millions of dollars 

Being from North Carolina, it makes sense as to why he puts so much effort into the community. He’s donated well over $10 million to open up a variety of health clinics and centers in partnership with Novant Health to provide affordable healthcare. 

He’s also heavily involved with the Boys and Girls Club of America and the UNCF College Fund. He’s donated $5 million to the Smithsonian, $2 million of his ‘The Last Dance’ earnings to food banks in Chicago, and $500,000 to libraries in Charlotte, NC.

Also read: Charles Barkley, Who was Michael Jordan’s Best Friend, Claims Clyde Drexler Resented the Bulls Legend in 1992

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

instagram-icon

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Read more from Samir Mehdi

Share this article