15 Facts About Vern Mikkelsen

Arild Verner Agerskov Mikkelsen was an American professional basketball player.

Vern Mikkelsen was a six-time All-Star and four-time Second Team All-Pro, and was inducted into the NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame and the sport's Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Vern Mikkelsen was born in Parlier, California and was raised in the Danish-American community of Askov, Minnesota.

Vern Mikkelsen's father, Michael, was an immigrant from Denmark who became a Lutheran pastor in Askov.

Vern Mikkelsen entered Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota on a basketball scholarship at the age of 16.

Hamline won the 1949 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament and Vern Mikkelsen was voted an All-American.

Vern Mikkelsen played with George Mikan and Jim Pollard in the frontcourt of the Minneapolis Lakers.

Vern Mikkelsen played in six NBA All-Star Games and was named to the All-NBA Second Team four times in his career.

Vern Mikkelsen ended his career after ten seasons in the NBA in 1959, having played in 699 of a possible 704 regular-season games.

Vern Mikkelsen led the NBA in both personal fouls and fouling out of games for three straight seasons during his career, and finished his career with 10,063 points scored.

Vern Mikkelsen still holds the league record for career games fouling out with 127, which he did in only 631 games.

In 1956, Vern Mikkelsen was inducted into the NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame.

Vern Mikkelsen was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995 along with Laker coach John Kundla.

Vern Mikkelsen later coached and was general manager of the Minnesota Pipers of the American Basketball Association.

Vern Mikkelsen died on November 21,2013, in Wayzata, Minnesota surrounded by his family.