You're looking at a living, breathing SHOE GOD -- Tinker Hatfield -- Nike's famous designer who created some of the most iconic Air Jordan shoes EVER!
But Tinker also created a stinker ... an Air Jordan shoe that he wishes he never made -- the Jordan 15.
You gotta hear Hatfield explain why he wishes he could take it back and throw it away ... the story is really interesting. Did you know he modeled the tongue of the shoe after Michael Jordan's actual tongue?
On the flip side, Tinker says his Jordan 11s are his proudest creation -- but tells TMZ Sports it's a shoe that was thiiiis close to being scrapped ... if not for MJ himself bringing it back to life.
BONUS -- we ALSO asked Hatfield what to expect with LeBron James' first signature shoe as a Laker ... and it's gonna get fans hype.