Mikan, << MY kuhn, >> George (1924-2005), became the most famous—and perhaps the dominant—basketball player of the 1940’s and early 1950’s. In 1950, sportswriters selected Mikan as the outstanding college or professional player of the first half of the 1900’s. Mikan, who stood 6 feet 10 inches (208 centimeters) tall, used his height, strength, and great hook shot to become the first of basketball’s high-scoring centers.
George Lawrence Mikan was born in Joliet, Illinois, on June 18, 1924. He played college basketball at DePaul University, where he won All-America honors in 1944, 1945, and 1946. He helped lead the Chicago Gears to the National Basketball League championship for the 1946-1947 season. Mikan starred with the Minneapolis Lakers professional team from 1947 to 1956. He led the Lakers to National Basketball Association (NBA) championships in the 1948-1949, 1949-1950, 1951-1952, 1952-1953, and 1953-1954 seasons. Mikan scored 11,764 points for the Gears and Lakers, an average of 22.6 points per game. Mikan led the league in scoring during the 1948-1949, 1949-1950, and 1950-1951 seasons. He died on June 1, 2005.
