Before Mikan entered DePaul University in 1942, players of his height — he was 6’10 — were considered inferior to those who were shorter and more nimble. Still, first-year DePaul coach Ray Meyer believed Mikan could use his height as an advantage and turned the clumsy freshman into one of the most dominant players of his time.

Mikan could use his height to shoot a hook shot with either hand over any defender, and used his size and strength to defend in the low post. Mikan was so dominant that the NCAA had to add a rule to prevent Mikan’s goaltending — swatting the ball away as it was coming down toward the basket.

His dominance continued into the NBA, which also changed rules to counter Mikan’s ability. In 1951, the foul lane was widened to 12 feet —dubbed “the Mikan Rule” — which kept big men from parking under the basket. A few years later, the NBA instituted a shot clock to prevent teams from merely passing the ball just to keep it away from Mikan.

After his playing career ended, Mikan had a brief foray into coaching and then devoted his time to his law practice. In 1967, he became the commissioner of the fledgling ABA and was the person responsible for that league’s iconic red-white-and-blue basketball.

Mikan died in 2005 from complications of diabetes. His legacy lives on in his hometown of Joliet, where there is a mural and a statue dedicated to “Mr. Basketball.”

Learn more:
Check out Mikan’s career statistics from his time with the Lakers as well those from his college days
A compilation of highlights from Mikan’s pro career