Mikan, MY kuhn, George (1924-2005), became the most famous--and perhaps the dominant--basketball player of the 1940's and early 1950's. In 1950, sportswriters selected Mikan as the outstanding college or professional player of the first half of the 1900's. Mikan, who stood 6 feet 10 inches (208 centimeters) tall, used his height, strength, and great hook shot to become the first of basketball's high-scoring centers.