When you think of the Air Jordan franchise and its legacy of cutting-edge design in basketball footwear, the first person that should come to mind is Michael Jordan himself – after all, he's worn them throughout his career to become the greatest player in the history of the game. But after MJ, the names are lesser known to the general public. Tinker Hatfield pioneered the creation of a new industry with his revolutionary designs, which continued for many years. Keeping that tradition of excellence and innovation alive today is Gentry Humphrey, the Footwear Product Marketing Director for Jordan. Gentry has been with Nike since 1989, and was one of the principal members of the Jordan brand in 1997 when it launched as a separate business unit. Owing much to the standards set by Tinker's design legacy, Gentry has continued to grow the Air Jordan footwear franchise into a perennial success.

        Innovative design is no stranger to the Air Jordan franchise. Jordan Brand once again set new standards in the 19th iteration of the flagship series. But just what exactly inspires the team from behind the scene? Gentry takes a moment out of his busy schedule to chat with us about the XIX and the future direction of Jordan.

       KG: Our reviewers found the XIX to be one of the most comfortable as well as best-performing Air Jordan yet. What are some of the technologies incorporated into the XIX to make all of this possible?

GH: From a technology standpoint, Jordan Brand seeks to create a product that our athletes can perform in at the highest level. Each Air Jordan has always been an attempt to build the finest performance basketball sneaker while setting the benchmark for court fashion. The XIX was able to expand on some of the practices used in the past. Michael himself wanted a shoe that stays low to the ground and feel the floor. As he gets older in his career, he utilized the technology in his shoes to best suit his style of play. The low-profile cushioning technology used to provide maximum cushioning is Zoom Air. The injected fiber-tensils allow the player to optimize motion, enhance cutting and do it all while staying low to the ground. Double stacked Zoom Air sockliner extended at the rear helps to double the cushioning without sacrificing the weight or height. Carbon fiber shank plate was first developed to help with Michael's problem with plantar fasciitis. The plate helps support the overall structure of the chassis and provide stability to the entire shoe.

        KG: Past Air Jordans has been inspired by the likes of fast cars, planes and even a panther. How did the Mamba snake became the inspiration for the XIX?

GH: You know, Michael has always had an input in his sneakers. Air Jordans were always a good reflection of Michael's personality. Shoes designed in the past were often based on some of his gadgets (Ferrari's, Lamborghini, dress shoes..etc) that is often inaccessible to the general public. The inspiration behind the XIX is a shoe focused on Michael's game at the highest level. There's an analogy to Michael being a predator... with an agile game full of intensity... and his smooth style that would glide across the ground as he plays. The black Mamba snake is actually brownish and grey in color. But when the snake opens its mouth to attack, all you see is pitch blackness. When it strikes, it's fast and potent. This relates to how Michael attacks the basket with his mouth open and tongue out. Jordan has also often been referred to as the black cat and how Michael performed in the NBA can be described as lethal - quick and deadly. We didn't want to use the snakeskin scale texture because we've been there and done that in the past. Instead we created something called the TechFlex which covers the laces at the top for a clean look. The interwoven fibers flexes in all the right areas. The fibers flex and bend forward but stretch it on a lateral access and it locks itself up. This combination makes the cover flexible, supportive and breathable and Tech Flex allows us to get it done better than the past [shrouds]. Also, instead of using tissue paper, the bag that comes with the shoes also has the texture of snake skin.

        KG: Now that MJ has stepped away from the game, what will be the direction for Jordan Brand in the future? Will younger players like Carmelo step up and play a much bigger role?

GH: Carmelo is definitely one of the future stars that allow us to target some of the younger consumers. Michael hand selected each of the guys that fit the Brand. They must fit the mold of M.J.'s off court demeanor. There will never be another Michael, a complete package that is the greatest to play the game. But through a combination of older players like GP, Kidd as well as younger budding stars like Carmelo, you can form a team of guys that can fit and represent Michael's image. Expect to see limited edition regional colorways of the XIX to drop this summer as well as more features on Carmelo this holiday season.

Check out KG's full review on the Air Jordan XIX.