George Mikan

The original big man who redefined basketball.

George Lawrence Mikan Jr. (June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005), nicknamed "Mr. Basketball", was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Quick Facts

Born: 18 June 1924
Birthplace: Joliet, Illinois, U.S.
Died: 1 June 2005
Place of death: Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
High school: Joliet Catholic (Joliet, Illinois)
College: DePaul (1942–1946)
Career position: Center
Career number: 99

Lore & Background

Mikan won seven NBL, BAA, and NBA championships in nine seasons. His championships include one NBL title (1948 with the Minneapolis Lakers), one BAA title (1949), and five NBA titles (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954). He also won an NBA All-Star Game MVP trophy and three scoring titles.

Reader's Guide

Mikan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. He was named to the 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th NBA anniversary teams.

The Architect of Modern Big-Man Play

George Mikan Jr., nicknamed 'Mr. Basketball,' fundamentally altered professional basketball by proving that tall players could be agile and dominant. Standing 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) and weighing 245 lb (111 kg), he wore thick, round spectacles while utilizing an ambidextrous hook shot to score over smaller defenders. His prolific rebounding and shot-blocking forced the NBA to introduce the goaltending rule and widen the foul lane, a change known as the 'Mikan Rule.' He also pioneered the underhanded free-throw technique decades before Rick Barry adopted it. Mikan's presence was so overwhelming that he necessitated the creation of the shot clock after opponents refused to shoot against his Lakers in a 19–18 game.

A Career Defined by Unprecedented Dominance

Mikan won seven championships in nine seasons across the NBL, BAA, and NBA. He led the Chicago American Gears to an NBL title and was named MVP of the World Professional Basketball Tournament after scoring 100 points in five games as a rookie. With the Minneapolis Lakers, he scored more than 1,000 points in his first NBL season, becoming the only player to do so. He won three scoring titles and earned an NBA All-Star Game MVP trophy while participating in the first four NBA All-Star games. In the 1950–51 season, he averaged a career-best 28.4 points per game and 14.1 rebounds per game, second only to Dolph Schayes.

Legacy Beyond the Court and Legal Battles

After retiring, Mikan co-founded the American Basketball Association (ABA) and served as its commissioner. He was instrumental in forming the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves expansion team. In his later years, he led a long-standing legal battle against the NBA to increase pensions for retired players who had played before the league became lucrative. His contributions were honored with induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959 and selections to the 25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th NBA anniversary teams.

From Seminary Student to Collegiate Star

Born on June 18, 1924, in Joliet, Illinois, Mikan shattered a knee as a boy, confining him to bed for a year and a half. He initially attended Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary aiming to become a Catholic priest before transferring to DePaul University. There, coach Ray Meyer transformed the clumsy, nearsighted Mikan into an elite athlete through intensive workouts, speed bag drills, and dancing lessons. At DePaul, he led the nation in scoring for two consecutive seasons (23.9 ppg in 1944–45 and 23.1 ppg in 1945–46) and won the 1945 NIT title, scoring a tournament-record 120 points.