George Lawrence Mikan Jr. (June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005), nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Joliet, Illinois and studied at DePaul University. He was 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m). From 1947 and 1954 and again in 1956, he played for the Minneapolis Lakers. He also coached the team from 1957 to 1958. 