We all know that the Los Angeles Lakers have a long history and are one of the oldest, most cherished professional basketball teams of all time.
There are many champions and heroes who have joined the team at one point or another.
There are in fact so many that modern NBA fans might not even remember all of them.
5x Champion, All-Star, MVP, and the man behind the Mikan Drill.
On October 30th we celebrate Mr. Basketball. pic.twitter.com/ydUOggbOFQ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 21, 2022
George Mikan is one of the more significant early players in the Lakers’ history.
He only played the game for 7 years back in the 1940s and 50s but he did so much for the team, back when it was still known as the Minneapolis Lakers.
And now he is getting some much-deserved recognition.
On October 30, 2022, the Lakers will retire Mikan’s number 99, meaning that he will join some of the most historic Lakers stars in history and his jersey will hang from the rafters of the Crypto.com Arena.
Mikan The Magnificent
During his time with the Lakers, Mikan averaged a whopping 23.1 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
Yes, professional basketball was different back then but those are still stellar numbers that prove his importance on the court.
He was a four-time All-Star and a three-time scoring champion.
Before his retirement, Mikan also grabbed five championship rings.
He would retire in 1956 and the Lakers would go through some major transformations after he left.
The team would move to Los Angeles, of course, join the NBA, and become the powerhouse franchise they still are to this day.
A player like Mikan was a superstar of his time but has slowly been lost to the history books for many.
The Lakers want to commemorate him, his valued importance, and all that he did so long ago.
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