Vintage NBA: George Mikan

[jongib369]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LVkqW8C6B4


Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCgDx0Go2v0





"In the Trotters' locker room before the game, Abe gave a brief pep talk, then turned the floor over to player coach Babe Pressley, who laid out the game plan. The Globetrotters realized that there was no way Goose could handle Mikan one-on-one, as he was giving up seven inches and fifty pounds, so other players were going to have to sag on the Lakers' center, double-teaming him whenever he got the ball. Additionally, Pressley told them not to hesitate to foul Mikan hard and often. There was no "one-and-one" rule at that time, so a non-shooting foul drew only one shot.

The game plan, which had sounded plausible in the dressing room, fell apart completely when the game began. Mikan was stronger and quicker than the Trotters had expected, and he was simply overwhelming Goose"

[jongib369]

[LONGTIME]

RIP He would dominate these unfundamental scrubs playing now.

[swagga]

this dude would have ZERO chance today. ZERO.

[Dro]

this dude would have ZERO chance today. ZERO.

No matter how much emphasis you put on it, still doesn't make it true...

Also, that hook shot

[bisk]

Just look at all that white trash in that gif.

[swagga]

No matter how much emphasis you put on it, still doesn't make it true...

Also, that hook shot

What I see from the (few) highlights of mikan:

- Excellent hook shot (mikan drill, etc) but lacking a proper post game: up and under, jab steps, fade aways, power dunks, etc ... won't be scoring too much against NBA level athletes.
- A constitution lacking lower body strength with relatively small shoulders at only 6'10'' ... would be bullied for position and would certainly not rebound well.
- low athleticism, and absolutely no rim defense... would give a layup/dunk drill to the other team.

My conclusion is that he he would not even sniff the league.

So enlighten me please as to why I may be wrong.

[SoCalMike]

He was a great legend of his time with incredible skills.

As for today, if you were able to pluck him out of history and put him in a game today, he would be physically outmatched. The game and athletes have evolved significantly since then and you just cannot compare the eras.

What you have to do is appreciate his skills and capabilities for the time he was in the league, as he was one of the best back then.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Thanks for posting. Nice highlights video, people should check it out.

If you watch his highlights, you can see that he looks pretty skilled and smart, with some nice moves and a soft touch around the rim including a good hook-shot (good FT shooter too, underhanded), plus he was 6'10, 250 lbs while pretty mobile - all of this, at least to me. One would think he would be good regardless - even a good starting C nowadays, if he grew up in this era and dedicated his life to basketball - but you can say the shot-clock affected his play considerably, even though he was on the decline before and hadn't play for year.. So, I wouldn't "vouch for him" really, although it's more like a can't tell situation.

Of course ignorant people will just say that he would straight up suck no matter what, not even knowing what they're talking about in reality. They will also talk that (mostly) bullshit about the athleticism and whatnot, when dudes like Marc Gasol, Perkins, Splitter or Pekovic "can be" starting centers in this league. Same old same, it is what it is.

[BoutPractice]

First of all, greats should be given the benefit of the doubt because they were, in actual fact, great - not mediocre, not even decent, but great. Our hypotheticals will never change that reality.

A "modernized" version of Mikan I think could do really well in the league. A 6'10, tough, smart and hardworking player who's mobile and has a good touch... at the very least he'd get in the NBA based on outstanding college production with this kind of profile. If you look at the moves he had in the 50s, you see him making sky hooks and a Dirk leg. Those aren't old school moves that wouldn't work today, but the very moves no one's ever found a real answer for, so it's not too much of a stretch to imagine his offensive moves at his height being difficult to stop today. He's also great at free throws which is HUGE for a post player. And if he were raised in today's game, you can easily imagine him having a reliable modern jumper at the key. He'd probably need to develop it and he has the right tools and mindset for it. Where he suffers most I think is on defense. Does he completely dominate everyone and make LeBron/Durant etc. look "average"? Probably not. Would he be a very productive player everyone wants on his team? I think so.

In any case, his impact on the game was incredible. His legacy is one of the greatest in all of basketball.

[Jasper]

Mikan's drills around the basket for warmups was something my coach did with me from day one.

Kareem even stated his drills in grade school taught him his hook shot.

[Jasper]

narrow lanes changed to wider lanes , and goal tending rules were because of him
Amazing one player changing rules..

[CavaliersFTW]

What I see from the (few) highlights of mikan:

- Excellent hook shot (mikan drill, etc) but lacking a proper post game: up and under, jab steps, fade aways, power dunks, etc ... won't be scoring too much against NBA level athletes.
- A constitution lacking lower body strength with relatively small shoulders at only 6'10'' ... would be bullied for position and would certainly not rebound well.
- low athleticism, and absolutely no rim defense... would give a layup/dunk drill to the other team.

My conclusion is that he he would not even sniff the league.

So enlighten me please as to why I may be wrong.

Mikan was huge.... what do you mean small shoulders/etc?

245lbs as a scrawny ass rookie... the guy was 280lbs by the 1950's and never touched a set of weights... 6-10 is likely his actual height too as he basically played in the barnstorming 40's and 50's, not some BS inflated height era caused by marketing and competition. He's a wide bodied 7 footer through and through with a very visibly wide frame. His body and natural athleticism isn't very vertical but his shoulders look wide and strong AF...

You know how big Wilt is, he towered over young Shaq... well here's Lakers 300+ lbs Wilt standing next to old man Mikan on the right:


Wilt's shoulders look narrow compared to Mikans. Mikan had the raw physical tools to be a dominant center... it wasn't a coincidence that he was a dominant center in his own era. There were other 7 footers he went up against, they didn't have his massive frame (or competitive fire), thus he was the Shaq of his time. (btw that's Bob Kurland on the right)

[RichieW]

As with all the greats, they are a product of their era. Put Mikan as an NBA player in to todays NBA and he'd be terrible. On the other hand, put Mikan as a kid learning modern fundamentals throughout high school and college and I expect he'd be a very good player in todays league.

[ProfessorMurder]

Aaron Gray is an NBA player. Whatever retards think Mikan couldn't play now should get clocked in the mouth.