Minneapolis Lakers Regular Season Rosters
1952-1953 Minneapolis Lakers Regular Season Roster
| Player | Pos | HT | WT | YOS | Pre-Draft Team | Draft Status | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Harrison | G | 6-1 | 190 | 3 | Michigan | 1949 Rnd 2 Pick 11 | United States |
| Lew Hitch | FC | 6-8 | 200 | 1 | Kansas State | 1951 Rnd 2 Pick 10 | United States |
| Jim Holstein | SF | 6-3 | 180 | 0 | Cincinnati | 1952 Rnd 2 Pick 10 | United States |
| Slater Martin | PG | 5-10 | 170 | 3 | Texas | 1949 Rnd 3 Pick 11 | United States |
| George Mikan | C | 6-10 | 245 | 4 | NBA Draft, Undrafted | United States | |
| Vern Mikkelsen | F | 6-7 | 230 | 3 | Hamline | 1949 Rnd 1 Pick 11 | United States |
| Jim Pollard | F | 6-4 | 185 | 4 | Stanford | 1947 Rnd 7 Pick 5 | United States |
| Pep Saul | GF | 6-2 | 185 | 3 | Seton Hall | 1949 Rnd 1 Pick 12 | United States |
| Dick Schnittker | PF | 6-5 | 200 | 1 | Ohio State | 1950 Rnd 1 Pick 5 | United States |
| Howie Schultz | GF | 6-6 | 190 | 2 | Hamline | 1949 NBA Draft, Undrafted | United States |
| Whitey Skoog | G | 5-11 | 180 | 1 | Minnesota | 1951 Rnd 1 Pick 10 | United States |
1952-1953 Minneapolis Depth Chart
| PG | SG | SF | PF | C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starters | S. Martin | P. Saul | J. Pollard | V. Mikkelsen | G. Mikan |
| Rotation | W. Skoog | J. Holstein | L. Hitch | ||
| Rotation | B. Harrison | D. Schnittker | |||
| Lim PT | H. Schultz |
1952-1953 Western Division Standings
| Rank | Team | Record | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis Lakers | 49-21 | - |
| 2 | Rochester Royals | 44-26 | 5 |
| 3 | Fort Wayne Pistons | 36-33 | 12.5 |
| 4 | Indianapolis Olympians | 28-43 | 21.5 |
| 5 | Milwaukee Hawks | 27-44 | 22.5 |
1952-1953 Minneapolis Awards & Honors
| Player | Award / Honor |
|---|---|
| Whitey Skoog | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Jim Holstein | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Jim Pollard | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Slater Martin | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Pep Saul | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Bob Harrison | NBA Champion (1953) |
| George Mikan | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Dick Schnittker | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Howie Schultz | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Lew Hitch | NBA Champion (1953) |
| Vern Mikkelsen | NBA Champion (1953) |
| George Mikan | All-NBA First Team (1953) |
| Vern Mikkelsen | All-NBA Second Team (1953) |
| George Mikan | Western All-Star Fan Vote Selection (1953) |
| Vern Mikkelsen | Western All-Star Fan Vote Selection (1953) |
| Slater Martin | Western All-Star Coaches Selection (1953) |
| George Mikan | Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP (1953) |
1952-1953 Minneapolis Season Stat Leaders
| Player | GP | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mikan | 70 | 37.9 | 20.6 | 14.4 | 2.9 |
| Vern Mikkelsen | 70 | 35.2 | 15.0 | 9.3 | 2.1 |
| Jim Pollard | 66 | 36.4 | 13.0 | 6.8 | 3.5 |
| Slater Martin | 70 | 36.5 | 10.6 | 2.7 | 3.6 |
| Pep Saul | 70 | 25.7 | 7.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 |
| Bob Harrison | 70 | 23.5 | 7.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Jim Holstein | 66 | 15.0 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 1.1 |
| Lew Hitch | 70 | 14.7 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 0.9 |
| Whitey Skoog | 68 | 14.6 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| Howie Schultz | 40 | 11.8 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 |
| Dick Schnittker | 7 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
1952-1953 Minneapolis Lakers Roster Composition
| Selected via Draft |
|---|
Bob Harrison was selected as the #11 pick in the Second Round of the 1949 NBA Draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. Bob Harrison signed a multi-year contract with the Minneapolis Lakers on August 22, 1949. Lew Hitch was selected as the #10 pick in the Second Round of the 1951 NBA Draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. Lew Hitch signed a multi-year contract with the Minneapolis Lakers on September 1, 1951. Jim Holstein was selected as the #10 pick in the Second Round of the 1952 NBA Draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. Jim Holstein signed a multi-year contract with the Minneapolis Lakers on September 1, 1952. Slater Martin was selected as the #11 pick in the 3 Round of the 1949 NBA Draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. Slater Martin signed a multi-year contract with the Minneapolis Lakers on September 1, 1949. George Mikan with the on September 1, 1949. George Mikan re-signed to a multi-year contract as a free agent with the Minneapolis Lakers on September 28, 1949. George Mikan re-signed to a contract as a free agent with the Minneapolis Lakers on August 17, 1952. Vern Mikkelsen was selected as the #11 pick in the First Round of the 1949 NBA Draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. Vern Mikkelsen signed a multi-year contract with the Minneapolis Lakers on September 1, 1949. Whitey Skoog was selected as the #10 pick in the First Round of the 1951 NBA Draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. Whitey Skoog signed a multi-year contract with the Minneapolis Lakers on May 9, 1951. |
| Acquired via Trade |
|---|
Pep Saul was acquired in a trade by the Minneapolis Lakers from the Baltimore Bullets (BAA) on January 27, 1952. Howie Schultz was acquired in a trade by the Minneapolis Lakers from the Fort Wayne Pistons on October 10, 1951. |
| Acquired via Free Agency |
|---|
Jim Pollard signed a multi-year contract as a free agent with the Minneapolis Lakers on May 10, 1948. Dick Schnittker signed a multi-year contract as a free agent with the Minneapolis Lakers on March 1, 1953. |