George Mikan’s playing career with DePaul University, the Chicago American Gears and the Minneapolis Lakers from 1942 to 1954 only lost him some of the honors that come with being a basketball giant.
Mikan was named the Helms Foundation College Player of the Year in 1944 and 1945. In 1945 he led DePaul to his NIT championship. At this time, the New York City event was more prestigious than his NCAA Tournament.
He won the National Basketball League with the American Gears in 1947, the Lakers in 1948, and was recognized as an NBA title with the Lakers in 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954, seven in eight full professional seasons. won the title.
He went missing in 1951 when Mikan broke his leg before the Western Division final against the rival Rochester (NY) Royals.
Mikan’s importance was such that the Lakers tried to get him to play with tons of tape on his feet. He was stuck and the Royals won the series 3-1 on him.
On Wednesday, Lakers teammate and featured footballer Bud Grant revisited his tremendous admiration for Mikan.
“Who’s the greatest player in sports I’ve ever been with? George Mikan,” Grant said. “Why? He wasn’t a talented athlete, but his His heart was bigger than anyone else’s.
“He’s the best competitor I’ve ever had. Mikan and Jim Marshall are the top two.”
That heart and famous tangerine hook shot have led to enduring accolades. He was named the greatest player of the sport’s first half-century in his 1950. In his 1959 Naismith he was one of the first four players to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Timberwolves chose to embrace Minnesota’s NBA history by unveiling a bronze statue of a tangerine in the lobby of the Target Center in April 2001.
Larry Mikan, the eldest of four sons, said Wednesday, “Of course my dad was given his due as the greatest player ever, as the player who really started it all for the NBA. A basketball award he has never received on this planet.”
So what’s left?
“Just one,” said Michael Mikan, the youngest of four sons. It’s true that I want to be with those people. “
The 2002 event was the Lakers’ final decision to reveal the five NBA titles won by the franchise in their 13 seasons in Minneapolis.
The LA Lakers invited living Hall of Famers to the ceremony, including Mikan, Vern Mikkelsen, Slater Martin and Coach John Kundra.
Mikan’s health was declining by then due to progressive diabetes. Michael had become a caretaker for George and his wife Pat in the Phoenix area.
“That’s when we started mentioning the idea of transferring George’s jersey number to the Lakers,” Michael said. [current Lakers controlling owner] The old Lakers were always treated great, but they had other players to look up to.”
George Mikan died on June 1, 2005 at the age of 80. Since then, the Lakers have retired several jersey numbers, including Kobe Bryant’s No. 8 and his No. 24 in 2017.
Pau Gasol’s number 16 jersey will be the 12th jersey hanging in the rafters in March.
The time to retire from the mandarin jersey had definitely come. The Lakers announced earlier this season that this would happen to Mikan’s jersey number 99.
It will take place on Sunday night in the same building (now called Crypto.com Arena instead of Staples).
“One of Dad’s last wishes was to see the whole family together. It won’t be all of us, but it will be 24 sons, daughters, spouses, companions and grandchildren. “
Larry’s other son Patrick, who also lives in Southern California, said: ‘
The Lakers will receive airfare, put Mikans at the adjacent JW Marriott for three days, and provide two SUVs. (“We go to the beach on Saturday,” said Michael.)
There are also a dozen seats near the court to go with the suite.
“Jeanie Bass and Linda Rambis working on something like this have been amazing to us,” Michael said.
Perhaps two dreams: Jersey and a well-attended family reunion.
