Lakers retire George Mikan's No. 99
The Lakers retired George Mikan's No. 99 on Sunday night ahead of their matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Mikan, nicknamed "Mr. Basketball," played with the Lakers back when they were located in Minneapolis, and helped bring six championships to the franchise from 1947 to 1954.
He had previously been honored at Crypto.com Arena with a banner that held his name, as well as the four names of his teammates — all of whom are Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers — since 2002.
He is now the 11th player to have his number retired with the Lakers. No one has worn No. 99 since he retired from basketball in 1956.
"Any player that ever played basketball knows this drill," Hall of Fame forward James Worthy said during the jersey retirement ceremony. "I remember meeting George and he said to me, `You really know to use your left hand. And I said, `Hell yes Mr. Mikan. I did the Mikan Drill my entire life.' He really had an impact on so many players."
Mikan died at the age of 80 back in 2005.
The Lakers will next retire Pau Gasol's No. 16 in March 2023, ahead of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
