Hall of Fame Professional Basketball Player, Coach. For ten seasons (1949 to 1959), he played at the forward and center positions in the National Basketball Association with the Minneapolis Lakers. Born Arild Verner Agerskov Mikkelsen, his father a Danish immigrant had moved his family a number of times before taking a position as a Lutheran minister in Askov, Minnesota. It would be while at Askov High School where Vern saw his first basketball game and initiate his deep fondness for the sport. He enrolled at Hamline University in St. Paul and made a name for himself on the collegiate basketball level statewide. In 1949, he led Hamline to the NAIA National Championship while achieving All-American honors. Chosen by the Minnesota Lakers as a territorial selection, Mikkelsen joined a talent-loaded roster of players which included league star George Mikan, Jim Pollard and Slater Martin. Mikkelsen flourished after he was moved to the forward position and under the guidance of coach John Kundla, he experienced four world championships (1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) while with the NBA's first dynasty team, the Minnesota Lakers. In 699 regular season games, he compiled 10,063 points and achieved All-Star status six-times (1951 to 1953 and 1955 to 1957). Following his playing career, he briefly served as general manager of the Minnesota Muskies of the American Basketball Association and later served as head coach of the Minnesota Pipers, also of the ABA. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
Hall of Fame Professional Basketball Player, Coach. For ten seasons (1949 to 1959), he played at the forward and center positions in the National Basketball Association with the Minneapolis Lakers. Born Arild Verner Agerskov Mikkelsen, his father a Danish immigrant had moved his family a number of times before taking a position as a Lutheran minister in Askov, Minnesota. It would be while at Askov High School where Vern saw his first basketball game and initiate his deep fondness for the sport. He enrolled at Hamline University in St. Paul and made a name for himself on the collegiate basketball level statewide. In 1949, he led Hamline to the NAIA National Championship while achieving All-American honors. Chosen by the Minnesota Lakers as a territorial selection, Mikkelsen joined a talent-loaded roster of players which included league star George Mikan, Jim Pollard and Slater Martin. Mikkelsen flourished after he was moved to the forward position and under the guidance of coach John Kundla, he experienced four world championships (1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) while with the NBA's first dynasty team, the Minnesota Lakers. In 699 regular season games, he compiled 10,063 points and achieved All-Star status six-times (1951 to 1953 and 1955 to 1957). Following his playing career, he briefly served as general manager of the Minnesota Muskies of the American Basketball Association and later served as head coach of the Minnesota Pipers, also of the ABA. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
Bio by: C.S.
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Mikkelsen memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
