Michael Jordan will go down in history as one of the greatest basketball stars to ever play the game.
Off the court, however, he found love with wife Yvette Prieto. After divorcing his first wife, Juanita Vanoy, in 2006, Jordan met the former model at a Miami nightclub in 2008. They quickly hit it off and moved in together the following year. By 2011, they were engaged.
On April 27, 2013, Jordan and Prieto tied the knot in front of 500 guests. Now, the couple share twin daughters and reside in Jupiter, Florida.
Although the NBA legend and Cuban-born model keep their relationship private, they have appeared on a few red carpets together. The couple have also attended basketball games, boxing matches and NASCAR races.
Most recently, Jordan and Prieto were spotted on vacation in Saint-Tropez, France.
Here’s everything to know about Yvette Prieto, Michael Jordan’s wife.
She was born in Cuba and worked as a model
Prieto was born in Cuba though her family moved to Miami when she was young. Growing up near the ocean, Prieto developed a love for sailing, according to ESPN the Magazine. Over the years, the couple has gone on sailing trips “because Yvette loves them, even though he hates the water.”
She also had a career as a model and worked with designers like Alexander Wang.
She dated Julio Iglesias Jr. before she met Jordan
Prior to meeting the NBA star, the model dated Julio Iglesias Jr., the son of Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and brother of Latin pop star Enrique Iglesias. Iglesias Jr. told Hola! magazine in 2003 that Prieto was “a fantastic girl” and a “loving, simple and very good person.”
She met Jordan at a nightclub
The former model met her now-husband at a Miami nightclub in 2008. They reportedly moved in together the following year. In 2011, Jordan proposed to Prieto over the Christmas holiday, and the two started planning their wedding straight away.
“They’ve been planning for months and months. He wanted to give Yvette everything she’s ever wanted,” a source told PEOPLE.
She and Jordan had a celebrity-packed wedding in Florida
The couple exchanged vows at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 27, 2013. Their 500 guests were transported by tour bus to the Bears Club, a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, for the reception.
Several celebrities were in attendance, including Spike Lee, Patrick Ewing and Tiger Woods. Robin Thicke and Usher both performed at the reception.
She and Jordan use code names to protect their privacy
Although Prieto met Jordan well after his basketball career ended, he’s still a huge celebrity, which means the couple have often needed extra security. ESPN the Magazine reported that Jordan hired a “private security team” to accompany them on overseas trips. During these trips, the couple often used code names to ensure their privacy and safety. Prieto’s secret code name was Harmony, while Jordan went by Yahweh.
She has twin daughters with Jordan
The pair welcomed twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel, on Feb. 9, 2014. Prieto and Jordan confirmed they were expecting in November 2013, although they never disclosed that they were having twins. Jordan also shares three kids with his first wife, Juanita.
“Yvette and the babies are doing well and the family is overjoyed at their arrival,” Jordan’s spokeswoman said at the time.
She and Jordan traveled to Nashville for NASCAR’s Ally 400 in June 2023
Prieto and Jordan are big NASCAR fans, and in June 2023, they watched the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Two days before the race, the couple attended a party at The Electric Jane. Jordan was spotted mingling with Garth Brooks and NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace.
She and Jordan vacationed in Italy in July 2023
Jordan and Prieto spent their summer vacation in Italy. It was there that they connected with their friends Magic Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson and Judge Greg Mathis, and their respective wives. The group enjoyed a lively dinner at the world-famous Da Paolino Ristorante in Capri.