The Sleek and Smooth Jordan 19 Retro Black Mamba Kicks
When Michael Jordan retired from the Washington Wizards in 2003, it wasn’t the first time he had retired from basketball. It wasn’t even the second time! But this time it stuck. Jordan was 40 years old and ready to pursue other interests and promote his clothing brand. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that one of Air Jordan’s most forward-thinking editions was released the following year in the form of the Air Jordan 19.
Cultural Significance of the AJ 19
The Air Jordan 19 was the first model released after MJ’s final retirement. While Mike himself may never have had the chance to wear them on the court, the Air Jordan 19 has seen a lot of game time. Stars including Carmelo Anthony, Ray Allen and Jason Kidd have all worn the 19 in play.
Besides their appearance in professional games, Air Jordan 19s have also been featured on television, most notably in an episode of the Damon Wayans-headed show, My Wife and Kids, in which Wayans’ character, Mike, steals them from Jordan’s hotel room and later wears them to play against MJ himself, who makes a cameo appearance.
The Black Mamba Jordans are inspired by the deadly Black Mamba snake, the deadliest snake in Africa. These kicks are designed to look sleek and smooth like a snake's body. Originally released in 2008, the Jordan Countdown Pack silhouettes have a black techwear-style upper made of Techflex braided sleeving. Red detailing on the outsole adds to this colourway deadly look. The "Jumpman" logo features white on the quarter panel. The mesh material keeps air circulating throughout the shoe for high performance on the court. A combination of two layers of Nike Zoom Air in the heel gives the shoe a noticeable rebound effect.
