1 Comment

Excellent article, Curtis. Based on his stats, I think Mikkelsen is a top 100-150 player and top 25 PF all-time. I have an analytical-stats system, which is based on stats relative to era and per MP. In it, Mikkelsen ranks 108 all-time and 23 as a PF. He was an efficient shooter (relative to his era) and a pretty good scorer. The Lakers were a great defensive team. I suspect that this was mostly because of Mikan. But Mikkelsen was in the top 10 in BBRef DWS for 5 straight years, including 2nd in 1950-51 and 1951-52. So I rate him as a good defender.

However, Mikkelsen was not a good rebounder for a PF (relative to his era, when there were lots of rebounds). Partly, that was because he played with Mikan. He also played with Jim Pollard, the original Kangaroo Kid, who was an excellent rebounder for a 6-4 SF. However, Mikkelsen's RB/MP relative to league average actually went down after Mikan and Pollard retired. So he just wasn't a good rebounder.

I think Dolph Schayes was the "Original Power Forward." (Dolph also had SF and stretch-4 skills: outside shooting, driving, and passing.) Harry Gallatin would have to be considered, too.

Expand full comment