Vern Mikkelsen
Mikkelsen, circa 1950s
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 21, 1928 Parlier, California |
| Died | November 21, 2013 (aged 85) Wayzata, Minnesota |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Askov (Askov, Minnesota) |
| College | Hamline (1945–1949) |
| BAA draft | 1949 / Pick: Territorial |
| Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers | |
| Playing career | 1949–1959 |
| Position | Power forward / Small forward |
| Number | 19 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1949–1959 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| As coach: | |
| 1968–1969 | Minnesota Pipers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 10,063 (14.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 5,940 (9.4 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,515 (2.2 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
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College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
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Arild Verner Agerskov "Vern" Mikkelsen (October 21, 1928 – November 21, 2013) was an American professional basketball player. He was one of the National Basketball Association's first power forwards in the 1950s and was known for his tenacious defense.
Mikkelsen was born in Parlier, California and was raised in the Danish-American community of Askov, Minnesota. His father, Michael, was an immigrant from Denmark who became a Lutheran pastor in Askov.
Mikkelsen entered Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota on a basketball scholarship at the age of 16. In his senior year, Mikkelsen led NCAA Division II in field goal percentage. Hamline won the 1949 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and Mikkelsen was voted an All-American. He would later receive a master's degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota.
Mikkelsen played with George Mikan and Jim Pollard in the frontcourt of the Minneapolis Lakers. The Lakers won four NBA titles during Mikkelsen's career. Mikkelsen played in six NBA All-Star Games and was named to the All-NBA Second Team four times in his career.
Mikkelsen ended his career after ten seasons in the NBA in 1959, having played in 699 of a possible 704 regular season games. He led the NBA in both personal fouls and disqualifications for three straight seasons during his career, and finished his career with 10,063 points scored. Mikkelsen still holds the league record for career disqualifications with 127, which he did in only 631 games — disqualifications were not recorded in the NBA until his second season.
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Wikipedia