George Mikan
George Mikan stood six feet four inches tall in 1942 when he walked onto the DePaul University campus. He weighed just over two hundred pounds and moved with an awkward gait that made him seem like a giant out of place. Thick round glasses sat on his nose, obscuring his vision while he navigated a world built for smaller men. His knees had been shattered years earlier during childhood, leaving him bedridden for eighteen months before he could walk again. A Catholic priest was his original dream until a coach named Ray Meyer saw something else in the clumsy student. Meyer taught Mikan to punch a speed bag and take dancing lessons to improve his footwork. The transformation turned a shy boy into a confident athlete who took pride in his height rather than hiding it. By 1945, Mikan led DePaul to the National Invitation Tournament title and scored fifty-three points in a single game against Rhode Island.
Mikan dominated the court so thoroughly that league officials felt compelled to change the game itself. In 1950, the Fort Wayne Pistons held the ball without shooting for nearly twenty minutes because they feared Mikan would score if they passed it to him. The final score remained nineteen to eighteen, creating the lowest-scoring game in NBA history. This stalemate directly influenced the creation of the shot clock four years later. The league also widened the foul lane from six feet to twelve feet to force big men like Mikan away from the basket. Coaches called this new restriction the Mikan Rule after he became their primary nemesis. On the 20th of January 1952, Mikan scored sixty-one points in double overtime against the Rochester Royals. He grabbed thirty-six rebounds during that same game, setting an all-time record at the time. His scoring average reached twenty-eight point four per game in the 1950-51 season while averaging fourteen point one rebounds. The Minneapolis Lakers won five championships between 1948 and 1954 under his leadership.
Mikan developed diabetes and kidney failure in his later years which led to the amputation of his right leg below the knee. His medical insurance was cut off while he faced severe financial difficulties due to low pension payments. He fought a protracted legal battle against the NBA and the players union over monthly pensions of one thousand seven hundred dollars. These payments were meager compared to what modern players received after the big money era began in 1965. Mel Davis of the National Basketball Retired Players Union noted that this fight kept Mikan going because he hoped to be alive when a new agreement vindicated his generation. The former player underwent dialysis three times weekly for four hours during the last five years of his life. His death on the 1st of June 2005, brought media attention to the financial struggles of early-era NBA retirees. Shaquille O'Neal paid for Mikan's funeral and stated that without number ninety-nine
there would be no him.
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Common questions
How tall was George Mikan when he joined DePaul University in 1942?
George Mikan stood six feet four inches tall when he entered DePaul University campus in 1942. He weighed just over two hundred pounds and wore thick round glasses that obscured his vision.
What specific rule changes did the NBA implement because of George Mikan dominance?
The league widened the foul lane from six feet to twelve feet to force big men like George Mikan away from the basket. Officials also created the shot clock four years after the 1950 Fort Wayne Pistons game to prevent stalling tactics against him.
When did George Mikan score sixty-one points and set a rebounding record?
On the 20th of January 1952, George Mikan scored sixty-one points in double overtime against the Rochester Royals. He grabbed thirty-six rebounds during that same game which set an all-time record at the time.
Why did George Mikan fight legal battles with the NBA regarding pensions?
George Mikan fought protracted legal battles over monthly pension payments of one thousand seven hundred dollars due to severe financial difficulties. His medical insurance was cut off while he faced kidney failure and diabetes in his later years.
How many championships did George Mikan win with the Minneapolis Lakers between 1948 and 1954?
The Minneapolis Lakers won five championships between 1948 and 1954 under the leadership of George Mikan. These titles established his legacy as a dominant player before the modern era began in 1965.