NBA legend Michael Jordan was seen enjoying a vacation in the south of France with his wife, Yvette Prieto, following the approval of the $3 billion sale of his Charlotte Hornets NBA franchise. The sale was approved by the NBA’s board of governors, and Jordan seemed to celebrate the mega-money deal by spending time with his family on a luxury yacht off the coast of Villefranche-sur-Mer.
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto were spotted relaxing, chatting, and laughing with friends and family on the yacht, which is rumored to be the $115 million M’Brace, completed in 2018. The yacht offers ample space for guests, including its own pool.
The vacation marks the first public appearance of Michael Jordan since the sale of his NBA team was confirmed. He will retain a minority stake in the Hornets. The sale was first reported back in March, with Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall leading the group of buyers.
During their vacation, Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto were also spotted in Capri, Italy, where they enjoyed dinner with friends, including Magic Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson.
The couple, who married in 2013, typically keep a low profile, and this vacation gave them some much-needed relaxation and privacy away from the public eye.
Michael Jordan’s wife Yvette Prieto rinses off after a dip in the Mediterranean while the Bulls legend attempts to dry himself
Michael Jordan is seen getting a kiss on the cheek while sitting behind his bikini-clad wife, Yvette Prieto, off the French coast
His Airness enjoys some wetness in the Mediterranean during his recent vacation in the South of France
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Jordan could later be seen playfully teasing Yvette as he appeared to jokingly threaten to push her into the water.
The Hall of Famer then took a dip himself as he dived off the back of the mega-yacht into the sea.
He had a paddle around before returning to the boat to dry off, while Yvette, who showed off her toned physique in an orange bikini, took an on-deck shower.
Unwinding in a deck chair, Jordan enjoyed time with his family as one the couple’s twin daughters leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek.
Yvette, who dazzled in a massive pair of diamond studs, could be seen beaming and laughing at the conversation between friends and family before cooling down in an AquaBanas inflatable off the side of the yacht.
The family day out is the first time since the sale of his NBA franchise, the Hornets, was approved.
The sale is expected to be finalized in the next several weeks, and Jordan will keep a minority stake in the club.
It was first reported back in March that Jordan was in talks to sell the team to Plotkin and Schnall.
Prieto is Jordan’s second wife. The couple has been married for ten years and were regularly seen at Hornets games together
Jordan and Prieto chat aboard a yacht off the small town of Villefranche-sur-Mer near Nice, France
Jordan, who was listed at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds in his playing days, is seen climbing aboard the vessel after swimming
Prieto, Jordan and another man are seen chitchatting with some swimmers in the south of France
Michael Jordan alternated between a deck chair aboard the yacht and some swimming in the Mediterranean on the trip
Jordan bought the majority stake in his home state’s NBA team for $275 million in 2010.
The Hornets are currently valued by Forbes at $1.7 billion – 27th among NBA teams, and a $1.3 billion improvement over the last decade.
Considered by many to be the NBA’s greatest player ever, Jordan is currently the NBA’s only African-American owner.
But the success Jordan enjoyed over six NBA championships and five MVP awards has failed to translate into success as an owner. Charlotte has been one of the league’s worst performing teams throughout his time in charge.
Outside of the name change from the Bobcats to the Hornets in 2015, Jordan’s tenure as Hornets owner has been anything but memorable.
Charlotte has enjoyed just three winning seasons and only two playoff berths since Jordan became majority owner.
Last week, Jordan and his family were also seen on the yacht, cooling down amid the European heatwave (not pictured)
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Yvette Prieto was born in Cuba but raised in nearby Miami. She previously dated singer Julio Iglesias Jr. in the early 2000s
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Jordan appears to be using a Seabob, which is a motorized device that can pull a swimmer along the water’s surface
Michael Jordan is pictured grimacing in the water while vacationing this week off the coast of Villefranche-sur-Mer