George Mikan Nm-M Autograph on a Spalding NBA Indoor-Outdoor Basketball.
Lot 6. George Mikan Nm-M Autograph on a Spalding NBA Indoor-Outdoor Basketball. A basketball pioneer, Mikan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. His autograph extends for six inches across a blank panel of the basketball above the panel with the Spalding logo. A 6’ 10” tall center, Mikan established the dominant role of the “big man” in college and pro basketball. A three-time All-American at DePaul, he was chosen twice as the Helms Player of the Year and, in 1945, as “The Sporting News” Player of the Year. He excelled at blocking shots and scoring with his hook shot – from either hand. Mikan’s pro career spanned 1946-54 with the Chicago American Gears (1946-47) of the National Basketball League, a predecessor of the modern National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Minneapolis Lakers (1947-54) of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the NBA. He retired in 1955, returned briefly in 1956, and then retired for good. His pro honors include seven league championships, 1948 NBL MVP, four-time NBA All-Star, 1948 NBL scoring leader, three-time NBA scoring leader and 1953 NBA rebounding leader. In 1950, the Associated Press named him the greatest basketball player of the first half-century. He was named to the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams. Mikan died in 2005 at the age of 80. The basketball has some scuffs on the panel with the Spalding logo – away from Mikan’s autograph. PSA/DNA Pre-Certified. Winning Bid $180.
