How much do you really know about the Lakers? Does your knowledge go all the way back to George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers era? Ever wonder why Mikan’s jersey is hanging in the rafters at Staples Center despite never playing in Los Angeles? What about the goaltending rule – did you know that Laker legend Mikan is to thank for that?
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During Mikan’s time, believe it or not, being ridiculously tall was not seen as a positive. He was an anomaly at 6’10 and 245 pounds, paving the way for two rule changes, the other being widening the lane from six feet to 12 feet, known as the Mikan rule. This guy was such a force, he managed to play one game with a broken wrist and still scored 22 points.
Here’s our look back at one of the all-time Lakers greats. For his efforts, Mikan was inducted into the first ever class of the NBA Hall of Fame, and was selected as one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players ever in 1996.
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