George Mikan Scouting Video (First Dominating HOF NBA center)

[@lotuslife3239]

Dude is one skilled bruiser. If he can't dominate you physically he will do it fundamentally. Mikan was a thicker McHale with a shorter wingspan but better passing, better rebounding, similar agility at a heavier weight. Mikan was a man among boys in those days. He would be a great player today with all the years of film to watch. He played a game with a broken leg, a metal plate taped to it to keep it straight while he played. Just a fuckin beast putting his body on the line for regular job salary and a newspaper article

[@Milordvega]

5:00 That's the voice of Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes talking about how he prepared to defend George Mikan and studied his tendencies to favor one side, go to one spot, and was a great rebounder. So Schayes overplayed him, got to the spot ahead of Mikan, boxed him out on the boards, "and I held him to 48 points." LOL

[@44032]

Dolph tells the same story in another video and in that one George scored 42 points on him. George was so good he scored three more baskets on Dolph in between those interviews!

[@Milordvega]

LOL

[@EnduringArts]

That hook-shot alone makes him viable across all eras. If you don't think a player like Mikan couldn't learn the new rules, train his game with all the modern tools to be relevant in todays league you're nuts. It's like this with most of the greats of the past for example, if you think Bob Cousy couldn't learn how to do a modern crossover within 15 minutes you simply aren't living in reality.

[@Theo-gw3il]

Straight Facts..

[@brianarbenz7206]

George Mikan also largely was the founder of the ABA, whose 3-point shot today has reshaped the NBA and the college game. That’s another way in which Mikan’s influence is still strong.

[@JStarStar00]

Well, really he was more like a "celebrity commissioner," they hired him because he had been a huge name in the NBA a decade before. He only stayed as commissioner one year then went back to his law practicfe.

[@pmsfar-outgrooviness8025]

@@JStarStar00 He stayed long enough to botch the Kareem signing

[@robertkline8458]

Original hook shot center , low post offense

[@rapgodreloaded9259]

He was a 6 foot 10 Lonzo Ball good all around skills that played team ball.

[@loydkline]

Love ❤️ George mikan hook shot greatest ever

[@Will23C1982]

Simply outstanding. Such an agile and talented player, not just by 1950s' standards.

[@lloydkline7245]

Will23C1982 mr George mikan was a super great role model off the basketball court and off the court, original skyhook

[@peat381low8]

I don’t see any centers or anyone today making those hook shots Mikan made.

[@jakedooley5300]

@@peat381low8 george milan wouldn't even be able to compete in the 90s era and the current NBA, players in george's era aren't anywhere near as good as the players from the last 30 years, milan would at best come off the bench if he'd even good enough to compete in the modern NBA, players in the 50s and 60s didn't was much skill and talent compared to now

[@ImperialLemon]

@@jakedooley5300 wrong the rules were different u couldn’t dribble or play like they do now…

[@Papichulo-xc5nd]

@@jakedooley5300 60s had ballers wt f u talking about? This ain’t Russell/wilt era showing its Mikan era

[@rynjp]

Wow, Mikan was an underrated passer. Those first few clips had some unreal handoffs. Great vid as always.

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

A profile I read quoted an opposing coach as calling him the best passing big man he'd ever seen. Mikan, they said, could get you the ball through a keyhole.

[@plcustodian]

Another thing I do want to add, people thought George Mikan couldn't dunk, he actually could, there is a rare footage of him doing a dunk. At the time though, it was considered bad sportsmanship to dunk, according to George he felt that winning (the game) was a better way to show up your opponent.

[@JK-wf6bx]

Yeah!Many players could dunk at that time but dunking was seem as a provocative move.Although some players still dunked,they were seem as impolite.Luckily,It changed due to some players think it is a new trend,like Jabbar and the ABA encourages players to dunk.And the NBA got changed due to the ABA players like Dr.J and George Gervin bring the dunking atmosphere.

[@briansam2524]

@@JK-wf6bx - You said it RIGHT THERE!!!

[@wpl8275]

The story about George Mikan is that after a tough game the reporters came in to the locker room and interview him and one of them mentioned how another player on the other team complained how he was too physical in his play and Mikan pulled up his uniform, showing all the bruises he got and said "These aren't birthmarks you know".

[@WestSide1207]

Why isn't Mikan's #99 retired for the Lakers? He brought the Lakers just as many championships as Kobe, Magic, and Kareem did.

[@pebutts]

The Lakers have a banner in the rafters for the Minneapolis Laker team, including Mikan, Pollard, Mikkelson, Lovellette, Slater Martin, and John Kundla, the coach. I'm not sure why they wanted to do it that way, but I'm guessing that they viewed the Minneapolis team, who played in the BAA, the forerunner to the NBA, as something of a paleolithic version of the Lakers. Doesn't stop them from counting their championships though. Mikan definitely deserved to have his own number retired. The guy was the most dominant force for an entire era, the equivalent of Russell, Wilt, Jabbar, Jordan, and LeBron. It's a shame he's not better known. I'd imagine 90% of basketball fans have no clue who he was.

[@lloydkline6946]

❤ George Mikan, sports&basketball 🏀 pioneer of college & nba

[@Master-Wanderer]

Talk to Jeanie.....

[@lloydkline6946]

@@Master-Wanderer l.a lakers owner,

[@Anthony-hu3rj]

@@pebutts The Minneapolis Lakers played in the NBA from 1948-1960. That's 12 years in the NBA!

[@WiltChamberlainArchive]

One-legged fadeaway a-la Dirk Nowitzki at 5:18

[@sinjinbeatbox]

Wilt Chamberlain Archive that was awesome

[@maxdurk4624]

Bit of a stretch lol. Kinda like this whole channel

[@tw69hands2]

More like the other way around.

[@ultraydude]

You don't get the nickname Mr. Basketball for no reason after all, the goat in my opinion and highly overlooked. I thank you for this video wilt chamberlain archive I just wish people would take players from back in the day more seriously. It's as if just cause we have next to no game clips they obviously must not have been talented or even worthy of consideration.

[@jaceywhite8603]

One of the most dominant players of all time. The reason for the shot clock, widening of the lane. Not only a Mt Rushmore center but of all players

[@mikegillins4992]

First nba superstar and the best and most dominant player of the fifties and late forties...if he wasn't hurt that one year maybe lakers win six in a row!

[@ryantruskowski2803]

George Mikan is a top 50 NBA player of alltime...no debate

[@greglawrence1314]

Actually, he led his teams to seven titles in eight seasons from 1946-1954.

[@jens2395]

G.C. Lawrence alright smartie

[@zroysum]

5/7

[@boksugoks9312]

I don't think they count NBL achievements though sir, which is a shame

[@t-bo2734]

@@zroysum One with the Chicago Gears (1947) and six with the Minneapolis Lakers (1948-1950, 1952-1954).

[@t-bo2734]

@@boksugoks9312 Correct, though the NBL was the superior league when Mikan played in it.

[@carseye1219]

I'm glad I got to watch this. It seemed like whenever people cued up clips of Mikan, they just showed those corny staged hook shots. He looked very mechanical and stilted. But the dude could play. Not sure he would have been as dominant in a more integrated NBA but I have a newfound respect for him.

[@weiqi8956]

Great video! While it's true that the game has changed, it hasn't always been for the better. An example of this is the hook shot and this video shows how well Mikan could shoot the hook with both hands. Modern players don't seem to shoot the hook as often. The most dominant shot in the history of the NBA is the Sky Hook and others like Mikan shot the hook extremely well.

[@feedmemoreh8458]

and Dirk fade

[@maxdurk4624]

Well people shoot jump hook which are arguably more effective

[@lloydkline7245]

George mikan played against white and black players and dominated basketball

[@segura9]

Lloyd Kline a few black players, let’s not get carried away.

[@Iambriangregory]

@@lloydkline7245 I see somebody showed how inaccurate your comment was getting real get a grip you're a joke

[@choward5430]

Mikan could play today no problem. Great passer. Understands the game. Has a variety of shots with both hands.

[@lloydkline7245]

George mikan is my hero today they got low post videos, shooting videos, big man camp love watching George mikan play i got his book

[@jakedooley5300]

George milan probably wouldn't even be good enough to compete in today's NBA, he'd be a bench player at best, players from the 50s and 60s are nowhere near as skilled and talented as they are now

[@Papichulo-xc5nd]

@@jakedooley5300 dum y this is not 60s era being shown. 60s had Russell wilt Baylor West Oscar etc

[@aalluubbaa]

@@jakedooley5300 While we pay respect to the pioneers of basketball, we also have to keep it real that there is no way those people can compete in today's league. They wouldn't even survive in lower-tier league and it's not a knock on them. Basketball keeps on evolving to where it is and those pioneers deserve a lot of credits.

[@unnaturalselection8330]

@@aalluubbaa If you moved them forward in time at 24, no they wouldn't do too well, but if you moved them forward at 10 and gave them the benefit of today's training, equipment and nutrition, they'd be dominant, just like they were during their time. The thing that really separates players at the top levels is desire to win ...and if you dominated your era, you had desire in spades.

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

The thing about big men that has not changed in 70 years? It's rare to find one with a great motor. Watch Mikan chase down loose balls 20 feet from the hoop and attack constantly, and you'll see greatness. Hundreds of more talented giants failed to leave a mark, because they didn't have what Mikan had.

[@Mike_Levinson]

The first Superstar in NBA history. The first dominant center. He revolutionized the game in so many ways! All true roundball fans hold George Mikan in high regard! This channel is amazing! Thank you for every single video!

[@plcustodian]

The NBA started with Big George Mikan!!!

[@kayfabeadjace]

Those are some nice floaters and hooks.

[@lloydkline6946]

Unstoppable in the pant area original skyhook

[@Milordvega]

I knew he was a great scorer, rebounder and defender, but what a nifty passer he was as well. Even had some touch passes, and I thought in over 40 years of watching basketball that Larry Bird was the first to do that. Little did I know that even 30 years before Bird, Mikan was already doing the same! Also, while nothing beats Kareem's hookshot, I notice that Mikan was equally adept with his right or left hand even more than Kareem. Bill Russell the lefty was also good with right-handed hooks, but Mikan was still better using both hands.

[@ryanhenderson1076]

For everybody remarking on Mikan's shooting: of all players who played at least 400 games during Mikan's career (1948-56), only four had a better FG% than Mikan's (.404): Larry Foust (.405); Vern Mikkelsen (.407); Jack Coleman (.417), and Ed Macaulay (.441).

[@oneadvocate9517]

He came to the league in 1946, that's almost 80 years ago. He was pretty agile for that time.

[@JohnnyRodgers3]

the average height of the nba back then was 6 ft 6 without shoes now its 6 ft 6 with shoes on the average height of a center back then was 6 ft 10 without shoes the average height now is 6 ft 10 with shoes so take that into consideration wilt would be listed at 7 ft 3, 300 pounds in his prime today , hed be the biggest, when taking into his height and weight Wilt played in a league with 8-12 teams at a time while still having an 82 game schedule with about 80% of the teams having a hof center this means wilt played a hof center just about every night C-Bill Russell: 6’11” HOF (143 games played in 9 seasons) (up to 14 times in the regular season) C-Kareem Abdul Jabbar: 7'4" HOF(27 games played in 4 seasons) (up to 5 times in the regular season) C-Willis Reed: 6,10.5” HOF(72 games played in 8 seasons) (up to 10 times a season) C-Walt Bellamy: 7, 0" HOF(100 games played in 11 seasons) (up to 10 times a season) C-Artis Gilmore: 7'3" HOF C-Bob Lanier: 7'0" HOF(17 games played in 3 seasons) (up to 7 times a season) C-Nate Thurmond: 7'1" HOF(47 games played in 4 seasons) (up to 7 times a season) C-Bob McAdoo: 6’10” HOF (5 games played in 1 season) (Wes Unseld is also a HOF center but he is 6’9) (26 times in 5 seasons) (Dave Cowens is also a HOF Center/Forward but he is 6”9)(17 games played in 3 seasons) (Connie Hawkins is also a HOF Forward/ center but he is 6”9)(31 games played in 4 seasons) (please note there are more HOF PF who guarded and were guarded by wilt chamberlain but the majority of them are about 6’9) ALL STARS AND OTHERS: Dennis Awtrey: 7'0" Tom Boerwinkle: 7'2" Nate Bowmen: 7,0" Mel Counts: 7'1" Walter Dukes: 7'1" Jim Eakins: 6'11" Ray Felix: 6'11" Hank Finkel: 7'0" Swede Halbrook: 7'5" (look at his highlights) Reggie Harding: 7'0" Jim McDaniels: 7'0" Otto Moore: 6'11" Dave Newmark: 7'0" Rich Niemann: 7'0" Billy Paultz: 6'11" Craig Raymond: 6'11" Elmore Smith: 7'0" Chuck Share: 7,0 " Ronald Taylor: 7'1" Walt Wesley: 7,0" TOM PAYNE 7'4 " GREG FILLMORE 7'1 CRAIG SPITZER 7'0 LARUE MARTIN 6'11 VIC BARTOLOME 7'1 GEORGE JOHNSON 6'11 WILLIAM SMITH 7'1 (the heights are with the added 1 1/2 inches to take into consideration the fact that players in this "era" were measured without shoes) you can look up the hof centers on youtube pages like: 70s fan Wilt chamberlain archive

[@darrenayotte]

Your videos are fantastic. Easily my favorite KZbin Channel. I have been an NBA History enthusiast since I was a kid, Wilt Chamberlain being my favorite player (Along with Kobe). I have a lot of respect for your channel and the time and dedication you put into these videos. Thank you for the uploads, they are a real treat to watch and a special thanks for the Wilt videos. He was truly astonishing. Glad to see this one too though, the first great big man is often overlooked by basketball fans. Very excited to see more videos in the future, you have a great channel going here!

[@pistolpete6796]

He was so ahead of his time. Such an entrepreneur of the words “NBA superstar”

[@jonathandesimone5618]

My high school coach had me do the Mikan Drill back in the 80's. I kept it up, it's a basic fundamental big man drill.

[@ngi65]

Is that the voice of Julius Erving in the beginning.

[@WiltChamberlainArchive]

***** Yes it is

[@44032]

I see nothing above the rim. Strange for a 6-10 guy. But I'm impressed with his mobility in the paint, his passing, (centers ran the offenses in those days from the high post: that's why they were called the "pivot"), and his ambidextrous hook shots that he could get off so quickly. I'm not sure how he would fare today but you measure a man by his accomplishments in his own time and he dominated his.

[@PoliticusRex632]

Steven Chappell you see little above the rim because if you notice early in the video, when he went above the rim they took his legs out from under him. He broke both legs when young and broke his ankle later. Alot of those players were WW2 and Korean War vets. Not afraid of contact.

[@ImperialLemon]

Dunks weren’t legal either…

[@44032]

@@ImperialLemon They were banned in college ball when Alcindor came along. They were reinstated in 1976.. They were never illegal in the NBA. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slam_dunk

[@forestgump8357]

They implemented the goal tending rule in college because of Mikan so he could obviously play above the rim.

[@RoofDoctorsJoanne]

The Lakers finally retired his #99 a couple years ago. He's the best of his era. He was the ABA's first Commissioner. So if you look at a guy who influenced the the game....from it's infancy at the pro level in the 1950's through the ABA to what is today....George Mikan is up there. He was also the reason the 24 Second Shot was really implemented because teams would stall the game to have a chance.

[@xavierkirton5073]

Nigga knew Dwight was 6'9 4 years before it was announced instant sub

[@troyingramtroy123]

Great player post moves hooks he had everything.

[@peat381low8]

The original goat.

[@JStarStar00]

I talked to some guys who saw Mikan play in the 40s/50s and they said Kevin McHale in recent years is the most comparable player to Mikan's style.

[@lloydkline7245]

JStarStar00 really, they are build alike kevin McHale and George mikan

[@WilliamTyndale1]

I can understand some stylistic comparisons but the guy saying they are built the same is way off, just looking at the old footage you can see Mikan was a monster. McHale was the same height (listed at 6'10") but only played at 210 lbs and looked like a stick, you can see Mikan in the footage was every bit of the 245 lbs. he is listed at and probably closer to the 280 lbs they credit him with in this video. He would've bulldozed through a McHale and most big men from any era. The NBA didn't have another physical freak like him until Wilt.

[@Maal7432]

The original G.O.A.T.

[@ngi65]

the way I see his game. wow. he was like Bill Laimbeer with an inside game

[@donsullivan7736]

Two things, notice how fast they got their shots off, and notice how often somebody hits the floor, usually without a foul called.

[@Pedroapares]

underrated passer!

[@Amick44]

A truly fine passer. In addition to the rest of his dominance.

[@jasonrolfe5585]

First franchise player

[@lloydkline7245]

jason rolfe my hero George mikan greatest basketball player ever unstoppable

[@mikegillins4992]

Great video archive...keep it coming!!

[@earldeanpowell]

Looking like McHale's shoulders. Was going through an M&A and woman's name was Mikan. I said, wo! I'm 6'9, so she guessed. Yes, that was grandfather. I did the Mikan drill for hours on end.

[@epeon7]

the problem with all these comparisons is that the rule and training have changed so much. Today, with the 3 point shot, you can win with 35% shooting. You can win without a big center. Before the 3 point shot, you had to have a big man. The big guy's percentage would be higher and he would get fouled. So, comparing eras is difficult. I think the greats would have done well in any era. Bill Russel would have done well. He could jump, had good speed, and was smart. Chamberlain, of course, would have been the man in any era. He was like a fast, mobile Shaq. Petit would do well, too. He was mobile, could jump, and tough.

[@HomeMade_Hoops]

Great video! I would really like to see one on Pete Maravich even though you may have done one on him already. He is one of the greatest scorers of all time and most skilled players, and a mystery to a lot of NBA fans today. It would be cool to see a scoring breakdown of him.

[@WiltChamberlainArchive]

TheRealRedMamba One day I might, I've got a list of older guys to try and cover first. WIth Pete it'd be like the Baylor mix, probably just a "mix". Trying to break down the specific variety of players with 1,000 moves gets overwhelming haha, Pete had every move in the book and then some

[@HomeMade_Hoops]

very true, he seems to have came up with every move into todays game before anyone knew it

[@feedmemoreh8458]

+Wilt Chamberlain Archive hey do you think you could do Bill Russell

[@ralezvezdas]

George Mican and Pete Maravich were from ex Yugoslavia

[@Iambriangregory]

@@ralezvezdas that's interesting

[@lotuslife3239]

The game has unfortunately become bitchier and bitchier. And with guys like Steph shooting from half court and centers being turned into walls and lob threats with the occasional floor spacing ability, the league and modern basketball has turned into a less contact, face up and dribble your way to success style. There is one exception tho and thats even if you are slow and clanky if you have good size and you can pass the ball at a high level you can play at a high level. This post up type of basketball is slowly coming back but only for the really good passing bigs like Jokic and Sengun. Difference is less physicality but still I like to see it coming back. If Giannis worked on his post game over his deep shooting it would be amazing. This guy is around Giannis weight, not as long or athletic but could really show him some things him and Mchale

[@omegamale7880]

Re: "You know that big George is the greatest basketball player of the century, was elected to that honor in Associated Press poll, as a matter of fact." Wait a minute, elected as the greatest basketball player of the century about 45 years before the century ended?

[@adamgottlieb5818]

Half-century

[@masterclass299]

Now I came to know where Kareem got his skyhook from

[@JoshSmith222]

Anyone care to factor in the superior shoes they play with today? Seems like that would be a huge factor on all levels of play. Could you imagine what would happen if a modern NBA team were forced to play in Chuck Taylors? Those f-ing things hurt just to walk in!

[@patrioticlion9773]

I love this channel! Thank you for all your hard work!

[@chrisayo8687]

Mikan would be a Kevin love type player today

[@timolau7390]

5:55 ... 62 points? Shouldn't it be 61? Anyway, good to see you uploading mixes again.

[@WiltChamberlainArchive]

Timo Lau Yes I think you're right, 61. I'm always working on mixes. They just take a long time to complete. I started uploading quicker videos like single-game highlights to make up for all the down time. That doesn't mean I stopped making mixes though. Consider the other stuff bonus material.

[@conduitofthegospeldarrellb9154]

If Kevin Love played great defense and was wayyyy tougher = George Mikan

[@purplestate]

no.

[@LonnyFukYoBich]

Fin6as yeah fuck that bum

[@Johnkoth]

Mikan had post moves

[@lloydkline7245]

George mikan was like the babe ruth of basketball he revolutionized it with his great hookup low post moves and sold tickets and popcorn etc etc

[@Johnkoth]

George Mikan probably could block the ball ball also. Can run faster also.

[@andrzejzborowski4920]

In Mikan's days players were measured and listed barefoot so his height 6'10 was his actual height. Hewould have been 6'11 in shoes.

[@jdvictor1921]

Yo, this is 2020. The plague year that did. I hope whoever curates this channel is safe and OK. But if there's anything this virus has shown us, it's that people have no patience for history.

[@leoderosia9279]

Certainly couldve played power fwd now in NBA

[@MrArthurlandry]

nice film, he looks similar in talent to a Matt Stainbrook type player today

[@jamalgunter1451]

Great Video as always!!!!!! Can you do a Video on Boston Celtics great Sam Jones? Best bank-shooter ever. Been watching short clips wherever I can find them. Your vids are the best!!!!

[@seasonone]

I'm gonna use my sapphire George Mikan in MyTeam now.

[@el_prezz]

Much Respects Sensei!

[@enriqueespinosa6285]

George Mikan one of the few big strong or tall basketball players to play for the NBA of the 1940's to the late 1950's others did not go and play for the NBA or for another professional league or for college and....! And all would of been great centers or defenders etc !

[@lloydkline7245]

Enrique Espinosa i lov ed babe ruth my other hero but George mikan plsyed against black players babe ruth did not

[@lloydkline7245]

i love babe ruth, my hero on the baseball field and off the field, babe ruth made too much money if it was that easy just to copie him, I read stuff on both sides babe ruth babe baseball stuff are in stone forever@@georgewagner2352

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

@@lloydkline7245 Ruth played against black players frequently, in offseason exhibitions. Statistics aren't complete but they show he was pretty much Babe Ruth against them too.

[@robertmutchler4750]

Where is George mikan when he was younger

[@cesarquint256]

3:46 the first nutmeg? Nice

[@CrownMe13]

Wait I’m confused were the Globetrotters an actual nba team? Why does the thumbnail show them playing the Lakers?

[@pebutts]

No, the Globetrotters were never in the NBA (or the NBL or BAA, the two leagues that formed the NBA), but they were way more of a serious team back then and featured most of the prominent black players from around the country. They were kind of a traveling black all-star team who incorporated showmanship to sell tickets and entertain the fans. At their peak, they were actually more famous and sold more tickets than the "real" NBA professional teams. The Trotters were great players and they'd play games against NBA talent back when it was a whites only league. It might be hard to imagine now with all the success the NBA has, but back then teams had to figure out new and inventive ways to get fans to come to games as franchises were in constant danger of going bankrupt. One of those ways was featuring white teams playing against black teams. The Globetrotters played the Mikan-led Lakers eight times, winning the first two games but then losing the subsequent six. Only after the NBA integrated and almost all of the great black stars went to the NBA did the Globetrotters get more and more into the showmanship aspect to keep the fans interested and buying tickets.

[@wuluki00174]

was it a "dunk" at 2.16?

[@JohnnyRodgers3]

Reminds kinda of jocik

[@Wowvod]

Bruh rebound chaser and break starter on hall of fame.😂😂

[@thomaswolf723]

Mikan retired before the existence of the 24 second clock. When he tried to un-retire, it was a disaster and he retired again. Not sure the lumbering Miken could make it in the modern NBA.

[@forestgump8357]

Sure a lumbering Mikan couldn't do it. The one who averaged 28, 27, 28 three years in a row was anything but lumbering, that Mikan could make it easily.

[@sdw2is]

Really the NIT was Superior at that point? In 1943 Wyoming won the NCAA and then play the NIT champion on their home floor and that was St. John's and they beat them. If I remember correctly every year after that the NCAA winner beat the NIT winner. The NIT was dominated by teams from the Northeast and so was the guy who said that the NIT was more prestigious. It may have been more prestigious but it was definitely not better. And it's soon faded into what we have today which is a New York city-based tournament.

[@lukasgrassle6636]

All time greats in order. MJ, Bill Russell, George Mikan.

[@jimjim3979]

Chamberlain my man

[@mattsch21]

laughably awful list

[@judithmcnamara7033]

Wilt was the greatest player ever by far.

[@jakedooley5300]

@@judithmcnamara7033 LMAO, wilt isn't even top 5, wilts stats don't amount to much because he wasn't the type of player that could elevate his teammates and team, he was a dominant 1 vs 1 player that scored alot, but he just couldn't win when it mattered most which is why he only has 2 rings and bill Russell has 11, bill Russell was a better player than wilt and him winning more championships isn't the only reason for that, Michael Jordan is the goat, kareem is 2nd best, bird is 3rd best, magic is 4th best, Kobe is 5th best and wilt is the 6th best, wilt was obviously a great player but there has been a handful of players that were better than him

[@jakedooley5300]

@@judithmcnamara7033 actually I messed up in my comment, bill Russell is 6th best than wilt is 7th best

[@TomDavis7]

If I could have a George Mikan rookie card. Anyone got one?

[@housesports000]

He was Wilt before Wilt or you could say he was Russell before Russell

[@lloydkline7245]

Mr. Orange the original big man he was unstoppable original shy hook

[@vSaint.]

He’s not 6”9 and neither is Dwight Howard

[@judithmcnamara7033]

And shaq wasn't 7 foot 3.

[@ngi65]

He was more aggressive than Rodman and Laimbeer

[@davonbenson4361]

4:07.

[@WeCube1898]

Boy Labo

[@michaelterry7647]

Could he dunk?

[@JStarStar00]

Yes, there's a video of him dunking in warmups -- see 6:35. He rarely if ever dunked in games.

[@pebutts]

In Mikan's day dunking was seen as a sign of disrespect and typically would result in a physical reprisal. Although Mikan certainly could dunk if by himself, players would take his legs out from under him if he left his feet. He always had to be very careful to avoid injury and you see how he kept his base when executing his moves. People today just don't understand how different the game was back then, like in baseball. Pitchers would routinely fire it right at a guy's head if he crowded the plate back in the 40s and 50s. Similarly, basketball players would hit each other with elbows, step on an opponent's foot, or try to injure an opponent if the ref wasn't looking. Even if a player was thrown out after a hard foul, if a star player like Mikan couldn't keep going it helped the assailant's team. Each team frequently had an enforcer who would knock the hell out of a player if he messed with the team's star (Vern Mikkelsen was Mikan's protector). It was nothing like today, where players are viewed as a valuable commodity. Mikan, as the most dominant player in the league, was also its biggest target. You can hear the respect Russell has for him for how great a player Big George was, despite all of the punishment he endured.

[@snaild7486]

who else thought Mikan played in the 1920's?

[@den20dgo]

Babe Ruth played when George Washington was the president.

[@chrisjohnson2261]

Eww

[@1biasedherbertfan979]

Don’t disrespect the pioneers of basketball he is the reason for the shot clock the three point line AND Kareem’s inspiration for the skyhook