1948 Bowman Basketball George Mikan ROOKIE #69 PSA 6 EXMT

Although he only played seven NBA seasons, perhaps no player is more responsible for popularizing and elevating the league when it began. At 6-foot-10, the thick-glasses-wearing Mikan blocked shots and rebounded unlike anyone before him. He was simultaneously the best offensive and defensive player, which set him apart. The league developed the goaltending rule as a result of his ability to grab the ball from the bucket on its way down. No player scored more points or won more titles than Mikan during his reign in professional basketball—seven total in eight seasons, including two three-peats. Even in the 1940s, Mikan earned nicknames that fit his size and dominance: The Monster, Big Mike, Mikan the Magnificent, and Mr. Basketball. The NBA’s first superstar, he had finesse and a special ability to land skyhooks from his left and ride side, which made him near impossible to defend. Just as Mikan helped define basketball as we know it, the 1948 Bowman basketball set helped define basketball collecting as we know it. It served as the first widely distributed basketball release and, along with 1957-58 Topps and 1961-62 Fleer, helped establish the foundation on which the hoops card industry was built. As such, this card serves as a pivotal printing not only in terms of collecting one of the most important players in basketball history, but one of the most important sets in basketball history. The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 06/03/2026.