Danny Ainge, a former American professional basketball player, coach, and baseball player who currently serves as the CEO of the Utah Jazz in the NBA, is a devoted husband to his longtime wife, Michelle Toolson Ainge.
The two-time NBA Champion, Danny Ainge, first met his wife, Michelle Toolson Ainge, while attending Brigham Young University.
Furthermore, both Danny and Michelle felt a connection from their first meeting, and Danny didn’t miss the chance to ask Michelle to sit beside him in health class.
Until death do us part is for quitters❤️#bestdraftpickever pic.twitter.com/LpC8Ol7Psr
— Danny Ainge (@danielrainge) February 14, 2020
Soon, their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship, leading to their marriage during their sophomore year at BYU on March 30, 1979.
The couple further experienced parenthood almost nine months after their wedding, welcoming their first child, a daughter named Ashlee.
Despite being the wife of a renowned former NBA star and current CEO of the Utah Jazz, Michelle prefers to maintain a private life and hasn’t shared much about her profession.
However, both Danny Ainge and his longtime wife, Michelle, are Mormons and active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in which Danny served as a bishop.
Similarly, the couple has been happily married for over four decades and recently celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary on March 30, 2025.
Danny Ainge frequently expresses his love and respect for his wife, Michelle, whom he affectionately refers to as his Bella, and often shares pictures of her on social media.
Danny Ainge And His Wife, Michelle, Are Proud Parents Of Six Successful Children
The 1988 NBA All-Star Danny Ainge and his longtime wife, Michelle Toolson, are proud parents of six children, including four sons, Austin, Tanner, Crew, and Cooper, and two daughters, Ashlee and Taylor.
Baby boy @UncleCR3W proposes at Fenway Park to the amazing Sydney Fitzpatrick🙏🏼❤️😱 pic.twitter.com/0KwN7iVXAo
— Danny Ainge (@danielrainge) March 29, 2018
Their son, Austin Ainge, followed in his father Danny’s footsteps in sports. Austin Ainge, born on September 29, 1981, in Gilbert, Arizona, is an American basketball coach, executive, and former collegiate basketball player.
Austin served as the assistant general manager of the Boston Celtics and is the current president of basketball operations for the Utah Jazz of the NBA.
At Highland High School, he displayed remarkable basketball ability, earning distinctions such as Fiesta Conference First Team, Conference MVP, East Valley Regional First Team, and East Valley MVP.
He further continued his playing career with Brigham Young University’s basketball team, where, as a two-time team captain, he led the school to two Mountain West Conference championships, three NCAA tournaments, and one NIT appearance.
Austin also served as the first head coach of the Maine Red Claws, an expansion team in the NBA Development League, from 2009 to 2011, and as an assistant coach at Southern Utah University.
Their other sons, Crew and Cooper, also followed in their father’s footsteps in basketball and are both former collegiate basketball stars.
Crew Ainge, the youngest of six children of Danny and Michelle Ainge, who currently serves as the VP of Operations of Utah City and leasing and strategy of Flagship Companies, began his basketball journey at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden.
While at high school, he earned a pair of all-NEPSAC honors and continued his playing career at Utah State University, where he was named a Joe E. & Elma Whitesides Scholar Athlete.
Crew further earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business and finance from Babson College and worked as a senior analyst and director of business development at Banner for three and a half years.
Regarding Cooper Ainge, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from BYU, where he demonstrated his exceptional basketball skills, leading his team to several victories.
Cooper Ainge has served as the Vice President of Banner Capital since 2022 and is also a Board Member of Western Pavement Services and Vision Graphics.
Prior to his recent position, Cooper served as a board observer for SupportNinja, Becklar, Veracross, DTiQ, and CivicPlus, and also as an Investment Banking Analyst at William Blair.
Likewise, Danny and Michelle’s middle son, Tanner Ainge, born on December 15, 1983, is a renowned businessman and politician who formerly served as a Utah County Commissioner.
Earning his B.A. in International Studies from BYU and J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Tanner Ainge has been serving as the founder and CEO of Banner Capital since 2020.
Tanner is also an investor in the pattern and a Board Member of Zerorez Inc. and Manscaped. Before his recent position, Tanner served as the captain of the Utah Army National Guard for 3 years.
Similarly, Danny and Michelle’s daughters, Ashlee LeSueur and Taylor Cannon, both graduates of BYU, are founders of The Buy Guide, a consumer services industry established in 2017.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Daniel Ray Ainge was born on March 17, 1959, in Eugene, Oregon, United States.
- He was a multi-sport star at North Eugene High School and led his team to consecutive AAA state titles in 1976 and 1977, earning all-state honors both years.
