NBA Champions ·
1950 Minneapolis Lakers
The 1950 Minneapolis Lakers were the first NBA champions, winning the title in the season the BAA and NBL merged into one league. George Mikan led the NBA in scoring at 27.4 a game, and Minneapolis beat the Syracuse Nationals four games to two in the Finals. A reserve forward on that team, Bud Grant, later coached the Minnesota Vikings to four Super Bowls.
Minneapolis went 51-17 and finished first in the NBA's Central Division. The roster added two rookies who would matter for years, Slater Martin at guard and Vern Mikkelsen at forward, giving Kundla a deeper lineup around Mikan.
Mikan led the league at 27.4 points. Pollard scored 14.7 and Mikkelsen, the rookie, 11.6. Martin took over the backcourt. The Lakers paired the best scorer in the game with the stingiest defense in the league.
Minneapolis won every series before the Finals without dropping a game, then beat Syracuse four games to two for the championship of the newly named NBA.
Bud Grant, a reserve forward, averaged a few points off the bench that year. He soon left basketball for football and reached the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the Vikings' head coach. He is one of the rare people to play for an NBA champion and later coach in a Super Bowl.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| George Mikan | C | 94 |
| Jim Pollard | SF | 86 |
| Slater Martin | PG | 81 |
| Vern Mikkelsen | PF | 83 |
| Herm Schaefer | SG | 73 |
| Jim Krebs | 6th man | 71 |
| John Kundla | Coach | 86 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Arnie Ferrin | G/F | |
| Don Carlson | G/F | |
| Bob Harrison | G | rookie guard |
| Tony Jaros | G/F | |
| Bud Grant | F | later a Hall of Fame Vikings head coach |
| Billy Hassett | G |