The NBA icon’s most storied property is his Chicago mansion, which pays homage to his number 23 jersey
Michael Jordan’s homes are, perhaps, almost as impressive as his basketball accomplishments. The former NBA All-Star holds six NBA titles; countless records, including winning the scoring title 10 times throughout his 15-year career; and the honor of being the first NBA player to become a billionaire (LeBron James has since followed in his footsteps). During his career and since his (final) retirement, Jordan has also invested much of his fortune in real estate, acquiring a handful of multimillion-dollar mansions over the years. The pro athlete’s most well-known residence is likely his custom-built home in Illinois’s Highland Park, which bears his mark all over the estate, including the number 23 emblazoned on the entry gate and a Jumpman logo in the center of the home’s massive indoor basketball court. Jordan also owns residences in Utah, Florida, and his home state of North Carolina. Below, we’re sharing a glimpse into some of Jordan’s most well-known portfolio pieces, each one just as unique and legendary as the star athlete himself.
Chicago Penthouse
Jordan married his first wife, Juanita Vanoy, in 1989, and the pair purchased a Chicago penthouse together a few years later for $3 million. The 8,000-square-foot dwelling was made up of units on the 39th and 40th floor combined and included four bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms overlooking Lake Michigan and the city skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows. The home featured an open layout with an all-glass solarium that housed a lounge and dining area, as well as a media room with a built-in humidor (Jordan is a known cigar fan). The penthouse also boasted a private rooftop deck measuring 1,000 square feet with a built-in grill, professional landscaping, and multiple areas for entertaining. The couple divorced in 2006, and Vanoy, a real estate agent, eventually sold the property for $3.2 million in 2014.
Customized Illinois Mansion
Also in 1991, at the height of his basketball career, Jordan purchased a seven-acre lot in Highland Park, Illinois for an undisclosed amount. There, he planned to build a mansion customized to his particular taste and aesthetic. Four years later, construction was complete on his 56,000-square-foot residence, including a tennis court, an infinity pool, a putting green, and a man-made pond. The contemporary-style home sits at the end of a long, private driveway protected by a security gate with the number 23 famously displayed for all visitors to see. Inside, amenities include a massive indoor basketball court, a cigar room, a home theater, and a game room featuring doors from the original Playboy Mansion in Chicago. Jordan lived there for many years before listing it for $29 million in 2012. The star athlete has failed to secure a buyer for the property after more than a decade on the market and after multiple price drops, however. (In 2020, following the release of The Last Dance, a documentary about Jordan’s career, the home was re-listed for a substantially lower $14.9 million.) Realtors speculate that it’s because of the highly customized nature of the property, though time will tell if an ardent Jordan fan is just biding their time for a further price reduction before making their move.
Utah Vacation Home
Jordan’s penchant for new builds extended to his next real estate purchase. The NBA legend paid an undisclosed amount for a massive vacation home in Park City, Utah. The stone-and-wood mansion measures 9,574 square feet and features a total of five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. The grandeur begins at the entrance, with a museum-like stone walkway leading up to a double-height glass door. The interiors are no less impressive, with high-quality finishes like Italian marble, bamboo floors, granite countertops, and Swiss pearwood throughout. The primary suite even boasts a private balcony overlooking the Wasatch Mountains and the Glenwild Golf Club. Jordan ultimately listed the lavish getaway for $7.5 million in 2019, but it does not look like he’s found the right buyer just yet.
Charlotte, North Carolina, Condos
Several years after he officially retired from the NBA, the pro athlete returned to his home state of North Carolina. The same year that he officially became the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets), he paid $3.15 million for two condos on the top-level of a building in uptown Charlotte, combining them into one sprawling unit. The residence measures 7,000 square feet; Jordan had a private elevator installed to maximize privacy. He still appears to own this property, though with his decision to sell his majority stake in the team in 2023, it’s possible that he could also be looking to offload the property soon.
The Bear’s Club, Florida
Jordan’s next real estate move took him to Jupiter, Florida, where he purchased a $4.8 million mansion situated on three acres of Jack Nicklaus’s exclusive Bear’s Club community. His home, which started construction in 2010, measures 28,000 square feet, with 11 bedrooms, a media room with a top-of-the-line ventilation system for removing cigar smoke, a pool house, a two-story guard house, and an athletic compound with a basketball court. Jordan reportedly spent an additional $7.6 million renovating the house to his particular standards. It’s the residence that he and wife Yvette Prieto currently reside in with their twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel. Their neighbors include celebrities like Tiger Woods and Kid Rock.
North Carolina Lake House
A year later, Jordan added a lakefront home in Cornelius, North Carolina, to the mix. He paid $2.8 million for the residence after it was foreclosed on, and the AP reported that the home previously belonged to drag racer Doug Herbert. Situated about 22 miles north of uptown Charlotte, where he already had a penthouse condo, Jordan’s new property offered a different kind of appeal: unobstructed views of Lake Norman on three sides of the house. Images of the mansion reveal a grand foyer with windows stretching from floor to ceiling, a dramatic stairway leading up to a second floor, and a private dock out back. Jordan also appears to still own this home.