NBA superstar and arguably the greatest basketball player of all time Michael Jordan retired from the game years ago but still keeps busy doing all kinds of things, including sailing on his yacht. This is no toy, either, as his yacht qualifies as a superyacht and you’ll see why shortly.

Before we get too deep into this it’s worth noting that the yacht we’re covering here may not actually even belong to Michael “Air” Jordan. He chartered it several times and there is a rumor that he purchased it in 2019. But we don’t have 100% confirmation on that so it’s possible this is not Jordan’s yacht at all, just one he really likes. That aside, all of the details about the yacht are still accurate and you’ll see why, even if Jordan didn’t buy this one outright, there’s every reason to understand why he would have, and why he’s chartered it in the past.

What Did Michael Jordan Call His Yacht?

Michael Jordan’s superyacht is called Joy and was launched back in 2016. Of course, that’s just one of his yachts as he actually owns a smaller (but still impressive) sport fishing yacht that he named Catch-23. The name is a clever pun on the familiar saying “Catch-22” and also his jersey number 23 from when he played professional basketball. His fishing yacht cost a cool $8 million so you can imagine what the superyacht Joy must have set him back if he really is the owner. Or you can just read on to find out!

How Much Did Michael Jordan’s Yacht Cost?

Because this yacht is a remarkable, one of a kind vessel, the owner, if it is Jordan, was willing to pay to ensure he got the best of the best. Is it the most expensive yacht in the world? No, not even close. But at $80 million (some sources even say $90 million) it’s definitely no joke. Joy is not a superyacht most people would be able to afford by any means.

How Big is Michael Jordan’s Yacht?

According to most reports, Michael Jordan’s yacht clocks in at a very impressive 230 feet. That’s nowhere near the largest yacht in the world but it’s incredibly large nonetheless and more than twice the size of Shaquille O’Neal’s yacht or Tom Brady’s yacht. 

How Fast is Michal Jordan’s Yacht?

With a pair of 1,850-horsepower engines,  Joy has a cruising speed of 12 knots. At top speed it can reach 16 knots, making it on par with other yachts of this size in terms of speed. At the size it’s clearly not intended for racing or hitting high speeds.

What’s the Interior of Michael Jordan’s Yacht Like?

What’s the one feature you’d absolutely expect to find on the deck of the yacht owned by a basketball legend? Joy has what has been called a full sized basketball court for playing while cruising, so long as the motion of the ocean doesn’t make this too uneven. Guess you’ll have to be careful with those rebounds. To be fair, though, when you look at images and videos it only shows the one hoop so it really looks more like a half court than a full basketball court. Not that there’s a problem with that, it’s certainly more than most yachts have. 

In addition, the space is easily converted if guests are in the mood for different sports and you can play volleyball or badminton. Heck, you can even toss a football around, there’s enough room. If it seems like that might take up too much room, don’t worry. The entire yacht has five decks so there’s plenty of room for the rust of the luxury features someone like Michael Jordan might want included.

As you’d expect on a luxury yacht of this size there’s a large beach club at the aft of the vessel with a dive platform and everything you’d expect in your beach club area. However, when the sun goes down this space is easily converted into a club for parties and it’s decked out for just such an occasion. There are video walls, bean bag chairs and a number of video game consoles for having a good time. It also serves as a movie theatre for when you want to gather a group and watch a film. Obviously there’s a large dining room for meals as well.

Obviously, the designers included a fully equipped gym on his yacht as well but unlike some, this is a partially open air gym. That means you can take in views of the ocean and enjoy the fresh air during a workout. Of course, additional health amenities exist as well. There’s a spa, a masseuse, and more plus a crew of 19 to make sure it all runs smoothly. One of those crew members is the private chef as well who is said to have a Michelin star, and as you’d expect the food will be able to meet the luxury of the rest of the boat.

You can travel across the 5 decks either by the spiral staircase or a luxurious glass elevator. This can take you from the gym to quarters where you’ll find seven cabins to accommodate guests. With the VIP you have eight cabins total.

The master suite offers an impressive 270 degree view of the ocean and has a private terrace if you want to go out for a closer look. The owner’s deck is opulent in design and resembles the penthouse of a luxury hotel. It even has his and hers bathrooms so no one needs to fight over who has access to the rain showers. For more private getaways there’s a private office for business meetings and lounge area for dining that are separated from the rest of the vessel.

You’ll also find four double cabins on board plus one twin cabin and finally a VIP stateroom. In total six time NBA champion has room for 12 guests in addition to the crew. All of the rooms are designed and decorated in a slightly different style so that people who come aboard get a chance to pick a room that appeals to their own personality rather than having a generic room that is the same as everyone else’s.

Elsewhere on board you’ll find a full bar for entertaining as well as a glass-sided deck jacuzzi for relaxing. 

Throughout the yacht’s interior you’ll find ocean mosaics, granite finishes and a lot of other opulent decorative touches that give it the sense of being at a resort. 

When it comes to cutting loose and having a good time, the people who designed Joy didn’t skimp there, either. The boat has a number of water toys including jet skis and guests can wake board, water ski, kayak and go scuba diving or snorkeling as well. Several tenders can take you to and from shore or wherever else you may need to go.

If you want to slow it down but still have fun, there are tons of inflatables that can be taken out and even a giant waterslide. If things get out of hand and someone gets in trouble don’t worry, Joy even has a rescue boat.

Is Michael Jordan’s Yacht Kept at a Caribbean Island?

Much of the reason people believe that Jordan owns Joy is because he was spotted there at the Caribbean island of St. Barts with the yacht back in 2019. Most of the pics you will find online that show Jordan on the yacht are from this time period and this is where speculation that he purchased the yacht came from. 

The Bottom Line

Joy is a luxury superyacht that costs as much as $80 or even $90 million. There’s a rumor that Michael Jordan is the owner of the yacht, and as the first billionaire athlete it’s not hard to believe, but it’s worth noting you can head to a number of yacht charter sites right now and charter this specific yacht for $700,000 per week. Would Michael Jordan let his private yacht be rented out for charters? You can decide that for yourself. Many other sites on the internet are convinced Jordan owns it but we’re not so sure just yet.

Regardless of who owns it, this massive 230 foot vessel has a basketball court on deck that can be converted for other sports or just whatever activities you feel like. There is a huge selection of water toys, space for parties, room for 12 guests, a jacuzzi, a swimming pool, a cinema and a master suite with an incredible 270 degree view of the ocean.

With a top speed of 16 knots and all the features you’d expect from a luxury hotel provided by a staff of 19, whether or not this is owned by Michael Jordan or just enjoyed by the Bulls legend, it’s easy to see why it’s such a highly prized vessel.