“You Gotta Fight”: Before Paying Juanita Vanoy $168 Million, Michael Jordan Was Optimistic About the Challenges of Marriage

Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy’s marriage was as complicated as it gets. At the start of their relation, Vanoy was this older, mature woman, who immediately swept Michael Jordan off of his feet. Juanita had that air about her. And it helped that had already dated Reggie Theus, a former Chicago Bulls player.

So, Michael knew Juanita Vanoy was already equipped to handle the pressures of dating a popular athlete. To Michael Jordan, that was an addition to her existing charm. After a turbulent few years of being together, the two finally tied the knot on a quick getaway in 1989. And interestingly, MJ was quite optimistic about spending his life with Juanita.

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Michael Jordan looked forward to a life with Juanita Vanoy

In the book Michael Jordan: The Life, writer Roland Lazenby wrote about Michael and Juanita’s relationship. He detailed the initial attraction and the immediate problems. And how, despite his family’s reluctance, MJ still chose to marry Juanita.

In fact, Jordan was really excited about it. He believed his time with Juanita would be complex like everyone else’s. Yet, he was eager to begin a married life with her.

Roland: “It was a well-timed decision to settle down and get married,” Jordan said later. “It was like walking into another unknown situation. But I was ready to learn what marriage was all about. Every day you learn something. To live with another person for the rest of your life, that’s something you have to work at. You’re going to have some good times, some bad times. As a couple, as a unit, as a family, you gotta fight your way through it.”

Unfortunately, MJ and Vanoy’s marriage couldn’t last

Michael, in the 90s, was easily one of the biggest stars on the planet. To be married to a man of his global fame was not easy. But Juanita Vanoy stood by him his entire career. Things became worse when he left to play for the Wizards. His tenure in Washington fractured much of his marriage.

Michael became more and more interested in gentlemen’s clubs, betting, and golf until Juanita filed for divorce in 2002 but they somehow managed to resolve their issues. However, they finally divorced in 2006. The divorce settlement was historical. It was one of the costliest settlements in history and Juanita Vanoy came out of it with $168 million added to her bank.

Her entire story was missing from the Last Dance. Perhaps because it is a little too difficult for MJ to confront the ancient chapter of his life.

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