American · Fresno, California · Born 21 October 1928American basketball center who played for Minneapolis Lakers (1949-1959), winning 4 NBA championships and earning 6 All-Star selections in dominant 1950s era.
Arild Verner Agerskov Mikkelsen was born in Fresno, California in 1928 of Danish heritage. Minneapolis Lakers selected him in the 1949 BAA Draft and he spent his entire 10-season career as part of the dynasty. He won four NBA championships (1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) alongside George Mikan and Slater Martin. He was selected to six All-Star games and named All-NBA Second Team four times. His role alongside Mikan was to set screens, rebound, defend and provide secondary scoring — he averaged 14.4 points per game across his career. He was one of the first players in NBA history to be disqualified frequently by fouling out — his physical defence was pioneering rather than merely rough. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995. He held the NBA record for most disqualifications (foul-outs) in a career at the time of his retirement. The Minneapolis dynasty's four championships over five years represent the first sustained dominance in professional basketball history and Mikkelsen was an integral piece of every title.
Power forward who won 4 NBA championships with Minneapolis Lakers
How They Played
Physical power forward with strong rebounding and interior presence
Lasting Impact
Hall of Fame power forward and key member of early NBA dynasty
Career Honours
- NBA Champion 4x (1950,1952,1953,1954)
- All-Star 6x
- All-NBA Second Team 4x
- Hall of Fame (1995)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Lakers | 1949–1959 | 699 |
American Athletes