Vern Mikkelsen

Arild Verner Agerskov "Vern" Mikkelsen (October 21, 1928 – November 21, 2013) was an American professional basketball player and one of the National Basketball Association's first power forwards in the 1950s. Born in Parlier, California, he was raised in the Danish-American community of Askov, Minnesota, where his father, Michael, a Danish immigrant, served as a Lutheran pastor. Mikkelsen entered Hamline University in Saint Paul on a basketball scholarship at the age of 16, was named an All-American, and in his senior year led NCAA Division II in field goal percentage. He later earned a master's degree from the University of Minnesota.

Known for his tenacious defense and durability, Mikkelsen played 699 of a possible 704 games during his career. Alongside fellow Hall of Famers George Mikan and Slater Martin, he was a key part of four championships with the Minneapolis Lakers, the franchise that is today the Los Angeles Lakers. Over his career he was a six-time All-Star and a four-time Second Team All-Pro.

Mikkelsen was inducted into the NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame and, in 1995, into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.