The first dominant big man in professional basketball and the game's first true superstar, George Mikan played with a competitive fire and zest matched by few. Voted "Greatest Player in the First Half Century" by the Associated Press, Mikan enjoyed an extraordinary professional career. As the cornerstone of the Minneapolis Lakers, Mikan led the NBA in scoring three times (1949-1952), played in the first four NBA All-Star Games (MVP 1953) and led the league in rebounding in 1952 and 1953. George was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1959.