With MJ now having stepped away from the game for good, Tate Kuebris, who was Senior Footwear Designer for Jordan Brand at the time, led a team comprised of Jason Mayden, Wilson Smith, Josh Heard and Suzette Henri in the design of the XIX. The Air Jordan XIX, like many of its predecessors, incorporated new technologies along with new materials - a fact that was obvious from first sight.
Inspiration was taken from one of the world's most dangerous snakes: the black mamba. The Tech Flex material gave a black mamba-like appearance to the shoe, and was intended to add support over the foot during cuts, while being lightweight and flexible. Unfortunately, the Tech Flex material never fully functioned as planned, and served mostly as just a lace cover. -Zac, Sole Collector Magazine
