At 6-foot-10-inches, George Mikan was able to tower over most professional basketball players of his time – but it wasn’t height alone that made him the game’s first superstar. He had quick feet with a deadly hook shot, while his thick, bookish glasses deceptively hid his highly competitive toughness. Over the course of his playing career, "Mr. Basketball" was an integral part of seven NBL, BAA, and NBA championship teams (1947-54) and was named the 1953 NBA All-Star Game MVP. He was later voted the greatest player in the first half century by the Associated Press.
This incredible warm-up suit dates to Mikan’s early seasons with the Minneapolis Lakers during the peak of their championship dynasty. While original game-worn NBA jerseys are almost impossible to find, warm-ups such as this one fall into entirely different category of rare.
The circa 1950 warm-up suit is the only known examplar worn by George Mikan, and could be the only one to surface for a long time. The blue jacket top has a zippered front with no graphics, and the long sleeves have buttoned adjustable cuffs. The back has “MLPS LAKERS” in gold block letters. The Hall of Famer has signed the back below the team name in bold 9/10 black marker. The jacket displays evidence of heavy use. There are stains and fabric snags on all sides, and the cuffs show heavy sweat staining and some tiny holes beside the buttons. There is a larger stain found on the left front chest and around the collar. The inside of the jacket has the Wilson label along with a strip tag with number “25.” The cotton lining shows great game use with many perspiration stains evident along with darker spots throughout.
The matching blue pants with gold striping on each leg show the same heavy game wear with staining throughout. The original zippers on each ankle are present as is the elastic waistband. The inside waistband features the Wilson label alongside Mikan’s iconic “99” unform number and a size “38” strip tag. Additionally, Mikan has also signed the pants on the upper left thigh in bold black marker. A tremendous artifact from the NBA's early years worn by the game’s biggest star. SCP President David Kohler confirmed that this warm-up came directly from Mikan and has been in private hands since the late 1970s. The matching set comes with LOAs from Sports Investors and JSA.
ESTIMATE: $400,000+