Few players in the history of basketball have single handedly changed the game as much as George Mikan. Before Mikan, a 6'10'' Center, basketball was considered a short man's game. During his basketball career, he won championships and received MVP honors at multiple levels and in various leagues. One of Mikan's most visible contributions to the game is the rule his play forced the league to implement; goaltending.
George Lawrence Mikan Jr. was born in Joliet, Illinois on June 18, 1924 and attended high school at Quigley Prep in Chicago. In college Mikan played for the DePaul Blue Demons. The Blue Demons played a zone defense with Mikan in the middle allowing him to guard the basket and goaltend the opposing team's shots. With Mikan goaltending so often, an unprecedented feat, the NCAA decided to outlaw goaltending. During his career at DePaul, Mikan was named Player of the Year twice and was an All-American three times. He also led the Blue Demons to an NIT championship, setting the single game scoring record along the way with 53 points against Rhode Island State in 1945.
Mikan played his rookie season in 1946 for the Chicago American Gears of the NBL. He averaged 16.5 points per game, led the Gears to a league championship and was named to the All-NBL team. The following season the owner of the Gears attempted to start the Professional Basketball League of America and removed the Chicago American Gears from the NBL. This league didn't last much more than a month and the players were placed back on NBL rosters following the collapse. The Lakers were prime beneficiaries of the PBLA's failure, landing the rights to Mikan by chance.
In the 1947-48 season, Mikan averaged 21.3 ppg in the regular season and 27.5 ppg in the finals on the way to a championship victory over the Rochester Royals. The 1949 season saw Mikan's Lakers defect from the NBL in favor of the Basketball Association of America. Mikan averaged 28.3 ppg in the 1949 regular season, providing roughly one third of the Lakers point production at a time when only two other players in the league averaged 20 ppg or more. He was even better in postseason play, averaging 30.3 ppg in 10 games, on the way to another league championship.
The following season the NBL and BAA merged giving birth to the NBA. In the first season of the NBA Mikan led the league in scoring average with 27.4 ppg. Mikan posted 31.3 ppg in the playoffs that year to help the Lakers capture the first NBA title over the Syracuse Nationals. The 1950-51 season marked the first time the NBA had recorded rebounds. Mikan finished second in rebounding averaging 14.1 a game and posted a career high 28.4 ppg to lead the NBA. This season was the first that Mikan's team hadn't won a championship. The Lakers fell to Rochester despite Mikan playing through a fractured leg in the championship series.
Mikan's domination of the league led to several more rule changes. In 1950 the Fort Wayne Pistons opted to hold the ball rather than giving it back to Mikan. The Pistons won the lowest scoring game in NBA history 19-18 and the shot clock was introduced a few seasons later. In another attempt to keep Mikan from overwhelming the league the NBA expanded the lane from 6 ft to 12 ft.
Although Mikan's scoring began to decline he still remained in the top of the league in scoring and rebounding. In the 1951-52 season Mikan averaged 23.8 ppg, was in the top of the league for rebounding and led the Laker's to another championship. The following season saw the Lakers repeat as league champions. Mikan contributed 20.6 ppg and led the league in total rebounds, averaging 14.4. Mikan also won the All-Star game MVP during the 1952-53 season.
The 1954 season saw Mikan and the Lakers take a third consecutive championship with Mikan remaining among the elite in scoring and rebounding. However, after the season Mikan stunned the sports community by announcing his retirement at age 29. He would make a return midway through the 1955-56 season in an attempt to help his struggling Lakers. Unfortunately, the time off had taken its toll and Mikan only averaged 10.5 ppg in route to an early playoff defeat.Playoff defeat in 1956 marked the end of Mikan's impressive career.
Mikan's 9 year professional career served to shape professional basketball into the game of today. His college resume boasts an NIT championship, the single game scoring record, twice being named Player of the Year and being named three times to the All-American team. As a professional in the NBL Mikan won championships in 1947 and 1948, was on the All-NBL first team in 1947 and 1948, and was named MVP in 1948. In the BAA Mikan won a championship and was named to the All-BAA first team in 1949. While playing in the NBA Mikan was league champion four times, a four time All-Star, was named to the All-NBA first team five times, and was an All-Star MVP. He was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959 and has been named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.