Mikan proud of family basketball legacy as he forges hockey path

By DANNY RODE – Michael Mikan had a goal to play in the WHL this season even when he signed with the Okotoks Oilers of the BCHL last summer.

Red Deer Rebels owner/president/General Manager Brent Sutter made his dream come true last month when he contacted him about joining the club.

“That was my goal and I ended up in this league and I’m super excited when I got the opportunity … grateful,” said the 19-year-old native of Eden, MN., which is located just outside the Twin Cities.

“I got a call from Brent about three weeks ago while I was at practice and I called him back and he asked if I was up for it and I signed.”

Mikan has played four games with the Rebels after playing 30 games with the Oilers where he had 10 goals and 29 assists.

He hasn’t got on the score sheet yet with the Rebels, but he isn’t worried about it.

“I’ve been close but I’m getting adjusted to the league and hopefully the points will come.”

One of the adjustments is playing the wing after playing most of his career at centre.

“I am on the wing here but wherever I can help the team,” he added.

The five-foot-11, 170-pound Mikan sees himself as a 200-foot-player who takes pride in his defensive game.

“I like to create changes for my line and drive my line and hopefully create some offence,” he offered.

Mikan grew up playing hockey in a Minnesota, which is a hockey State, but comes from a basketball family.

His great-grandfather George Mikan was a pioneer in professional basketball. Nicknamed “Mr. Basketball,” the six-foot-10 centre was a superstar and one of the first big men to play in the early development of the NBA. His playing career lasted from 1945-1954 plus briefly in 1956. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. In 2022 the NBA renamed it’s Most Improved Player award after Mikan. He helped start the Minnesota Timberwolves and has his statue inside Target Center.

He died in 2005, so Michael never had the opportunity to meet him. But he leaned everything there was about him.

“(I did) a research project on him in my senior year. It was super cool to learn about him.”

George Mikan is often cited as the NBA’s “First Superstar” who paved the way for future ‘big men’ such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal (Photo: nba.com)

Michael’s grandfather also played college basketball, and his dad had the opportunity but never did. Still it was hockey that was Michael’s first love.

“My brother (Nick) played so that’s what I wanted to do. I didn’t get the height gene, either,” he said with a laugh.

He grew up playing high school hockey for St. Thomas Academy and had 54 points in 31 games last season.

“High school hockey is a big deal in Minnesota, and it was a great experience playing for them. We got to play in the State Tournament my final year (at the Minnesota Wild’s home arena). It was great to play in front of that many people.”

St. Thomas had a solid tournament, losing in the third-place game.

Nick, who is with the University of Miami, Ohio, played in Vernon of the BCHL, which gave Michael an early look into the league.

“My brother loved it up here so I decided to give it a shot,” he said.

Okotoks contacted him last summer and the decision to join the Oilers was a benefit in his development toward the WHL.

“They helped me a lot. Their coach was super good, and he helped me get used to the juniors. It’s a different grind, a different environment.”

Now he’s getting used to the Rebels.

“I’m now in my second week and I’m getting used to the flow of things, getting used to the team and everything. The pace is elevated (from the B.C. league) for sure and the top end players are getting drafted pretty high so that’s a major difference.”

Mikan first realized he could make a career out of hockey when he started getting looks from college scouts.

One of those scouts was from Harvard University, where Michael has committed to play down the road.

“Great academic school but a great hockey program as well,” he said. “I’m super looking forward to going there.”

But that won’t be right away.

“I’m not going to go next year for sure,” he added.