Michael Jordan: Mind Your Own Business

By Stephen M. Silverman

Wednesday January 09, 2002 01:00 PM EST

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Appearing in public for the first time since the news broke that his wife of 12 years, Juanita, had filed for divorce on Monday, basketball legend Michael Jordan shrugged off questions about his personal life Tuesday as his team, the Washington Wizards, beat the Los Angeles Clippers 96-88. "That's none of your business," Jordan, 38, told reporters, according to Reuters. "I don't really want to talk about my personal life. I think we both, my wife and I, released a statement and that's something that privately we will work on. I don't think I want to sit here and go through that . . . You know we have kids, obviously, and we want to make sure that's the focus. Everything else outside of that, when the time comes, you guys will hear it." The Jordans have three adolescent children. Juanita, 42, requested permanent custody of them, as well as possession of the family's 25,000-sq.-ft. mansion in Chicago's upscale Highland Park area and half of the couple's property. Jordan's net worth is reportedly nearly $400 million. "Sometimes work is a great avenue for you to try and deal with it and move on," His Airness remarked to the reporters before he returned to the court.