Michael Jordan’s Son on Misconceptions Around His Father: “He Definitely Could Turn the Competitiveness off and Be a Dad”

As a professional player in the NBA, Michael Jordan inspired millions of children around the world. The Chicago Bulls legend remained at the helm of the NBA’s efforts to spread the sport of basketball worldwide.

Jordan fathered three children during his active NBA career. Despite popular fables, one of Jordan’s sons disclosed that Jordan performed his role as a father adequately when needed.

Jordan has three children through his ex-wife Juanita Vanoy, who he married on September 2, 1989. Jordan’s oldest son, Jeffrey Jordan, spoke about his experience of witnessing Jordan turn off his competitive spirit to trade it off for being a father. Jeffrey also confirmed that the media perpetuated many misconceptions about his father.

In an interview with CNN last year, Jeffrey said, “One of the biggest misconceptions was that he couldn’t turn that [competitiveness] off. He definitely could turn it off and be a dad…But when it was on, it was on.”

In stark contrast to how the media portrayed Jordan during his career, Jeffrey described Jordan as a responsible father. Before Jeffrey’s debut as a freshman in a college football game in 2007, Jordan, in an interview with TODAY, said, “I want him to be his own person, you know? I want him to enjoy his life, whatever he chooses to be that, you know? If you play basketball, you’re a doctor, you’re a lawyer, whatever, I’m gonna support you with the love and every effort, every inch of my body.”

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The media often perpetuated misconceptions about Jordan being absent from his children’s lives. A six-time NBA champion, Jordan has two twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel, with Cuban-American model Yvette Prieto.

Michael Jordan and his sizeable family

Michael Jordan married Janita Vanoy in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1989. Their marriage produced three children, Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine. However, their marriage came to an end in 2006 when the couple filed for divorce. Juanita reportedly received a whopping $168 million as a divorce settlement.

Both Jeffrey and Marcus attempted to follow their father’s footsteps, however, they failed to kick-start an NBA career. Jordan’s daughter through Juanita, Jasmine, works for the Jordan Brand. Jordan married Yvette Prieto on April 27, 2013. The Chicago Bulls legend became a father once again to identical twin daughters named Victoria and Ysabel on February 11, 2014.

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