Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
George Mikan is the guy who literally changed the shape of the game — and I mean that almost literally, because the NBA had to widen the lane just to slow him down. Standing 6'10" with thick-rimmed glasses and a work ethic that matched his size, he was the sport's first true dominant big man, and watching old footage of him back the defense down with that unstoppable hook shot is still mesmerizing. He won five championships with the Minneapolis Lakers and made the All-NBA First Team six times — numbers that would be celebrated endlessly if he played today. The fact that the marquee at Madison Square Garden once read "Geo. Mikan vs. Knicks" instead of "Lakers vs. Knicks" tells you everything about his star power. Rest easy, Mr. Basketball.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- George Mikan
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョージ・マイカン
- Reading
- じょーじ・まいかん
- Born
- June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rat
- Origin
- Joliet, Illinois, United States
- Height
- 208 cm
- Occupation
- basketball player / basketball coach / lawyer / sports executive
2. Background
- University
- DePaul University
Awards & achievements
- 1949 All-NBA Team
- 1950 All-NBA Team
- 1951 All-NBA Team
- 1952 All-NBA Team
- 1953 NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award
- 1953 All-NBA Team
- 1954 All-NBA Team
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was George Mikan born?
June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005.
Where is George Mikan from?
George Mikan is from Joliet, Illinois, United States.
What does George Mikan do?
George Mikan works as basketball player, basketball coach, lawyer, sports executive.
How tall is George Mikan?
George Mikan is 208 cm.
Basketball player — see all → · Basketball coach — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.