George Mikan

Mikan, George (1924– ), U.S. basketball player. Known for his strength and accurate hook shot, he was named the Associated Press' Player of the Half Century. Standing at 6-ft 10-in (208-cm), Mikan became the first center known for scoring (11,764 career points). He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis Lakers (1946–55), and led them to 5 championships (1949, 50, 52–54). In 1967, he was named commissioner of the newly founded American Basketball Association. Mikan was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960.