George Mikan - The marquee above Madison Square Garden aptly told the George Mikan story. It used to read: "George Mikan vs. Knicks." The first dominant big man in professional basketball and the game's first true superstar, George Mikan played with a competitive fire and zest matched by few. During his college days at DePaul, the six-foot-ten Mikan revolutionized the game. In fact, Mikan, along with fellow Hall of Famer Bob Kurland, swatted away so many shots that in 1944 the NCAA introduced a rule that prohibited goaltending. Unaffected by the rule change, the determined Mikan was a three-time All-America (1944, 1945, 1946) and led the nation in scoring in 1945 and 1946. Mikan's 120 points in three games led DePaul to the 1945 NIT championship. Mikan, who scored 1,870 points at DePaul, once tallied 53 against Rhode Island State, a remarkable feat considering he single-handedly outscored the entire Rhode Island State team.
Voted the "Greatest Player in the First Half-Century" by the Associated Press, Mikan enjoyed an extraordinary professional career. He won his first professional championship with the Chicago American Gears of the NBL in 1947 and captured six more pro titles (1 NBL-1948, 1 BAA-1949, and 4 NBA-1950, 1952-54). As the cornerstone of the Minneapolis Lakers, Mikan led the NBA in scoring three times (1949-52), played in the first four NBA All-Star Games (MVP 1953) and led the league in rebounding twice (1952, 1953).
