<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. ? George Mikan, professional basketball's first dominant big man, who led the Minneapolis Lakers to five NBA championships, has died, family members said Thursday. He was 80. Six-foot-10 with thick glasses, Mikan was so effective as a center at DePaul that he forced the NCAA to adopt the goaltending rule. Mikan had suffered from diabetes and kidney failure. One leg was amputated several years ago, and he recently was hospitalized for six weeks for treatment of a diabetes wound in the other leg. He also underwent kidney dialysis three days a week.</div> espn.com
Big, sad loss. As a player, most of the games I remember watching for him show him as a big, strong rebounder. Specially offensively. He used to own Lenny Wilkens all the time when he drove to the lane. Also, he was so good, that whenever the Lakers (Minneapolis that is) played the Knicks at the Garden, the promo ad on the screen read: George Mikan vs The Knicks. R.I.P.
the originator of the "hook". i couldnt picture b-ball without the "hook". day to remember the man!!!
A guy that definitely belongs in more discussions about great big men. Probably one of the most underrated players of all time. He may be gone, but his influence on the game of basketball will be around forever.
This is truely sad. Mikan deserves to be elected to the basketball hall of fame next time. R.I.P George Mikan.
R.I.P to George Mikan. The first real big man of the game. He has revoulutionized the game for not only big men but for little guys too. Without him we wouldn't see many people we do right now... Thanks to him I am now ambidextrial when playing basketball cause of his all famous Mikan Drill. That's not the only credit he deserves but I can't give any more.
Major bummer. I remember seeing many of his highlights on some classics show and it just showed this guy was the first ever Big Man. He changed rules that effects are game today, showing what kind of force he was. R.I.P.
Its' sad to see him go. Like Kenny Smith said last night during the game, even if we never knew George Mikan - the player, we have some correlation with him through basketball. For most young players, its the Mikan Drill. R.I.P.
R.I.P I haven't seen much of Mikan playing, but I have a lot of respect for him. He revolutionized the game and he is a legend. And very nice gesture from Shaq paying for everything.
Rip It is truly saddening to lose on of the all-time greats of the NBA. He changed the game like no other player has. His legacy will be forever remembered in "the Mikan Drill". Hopefully his death will bring back to light an issue that he was very passionate about, the small pensions given out to players that played in the earlier years of the league. I think shaq said it best in a commercial for the NBA a few years ago about why he loves the NBA, "Because George Mikan started it all".
