Full ceremony: Lakers retire George Mikan's No. 99 jersey in a pregame ceremony.
The Los Angeles Lakers retired Hall of Famer George Mikan’s jersey Sunday night in a pregame ceremony. Mikan’s family was there to celebrate the honor and watch No. 99 be unveiled.
Mikan is the 11th player in Los Angeles Lakers history to earn the distinction, joining Kobe Bryant (8 & 24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Elgin Baylor (22), Gail Goodrich (25), Earvin “Magic” Johnson (32), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33), Shaquille O’Neal (34), James Worthy (42), Jerry West (44) and Jamaal Wilkes (52).
The 1948 National Basketball League MVP and four-time All-Star helped lead the then-Minneapolis Lakers to five championships (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) and was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. Donning a Lakers uniform, Mikan led the league in scoring in three consecutive seasons (1948-51) and was the league’s leading rebounder in back-to-back campaigns (1951-53). The six-time All-NBA First Team selection averaged 23.1 points, 13.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his career. The Illinois native was recently named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Mikan ranks sixth on the Lakers all-time free throws made list (3,068), 11th in points (10,156), 12th in field goals made (3,544) and 16th in rebounds (4,167). Across Lakers playoff records, Mikan sits seventh in free throws made (554), 10th in points (1,680), 12th in field goals made (563) and 12th in rebounds (665).
