Myer Skoog
Myer Upton "Whitey" Skoog was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Minneapolis Lakers. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota.
A 5 ft 11 in and 180 lb guard, Skoog played collegiately at the University of Minnesota. Following his All-America senior season, he was drafted as a territorial pick in the first round of the 1951 NBA draft by the Lakers.
The Lakers won three NBA Championships in his first three years in the league. Skoog played in six seasons in the NBA before back injuries forced his retirement. Some credit Skoog with being the creator of the jump shot and one of the first players to use a jump shot in an organized game. Following his career in the NBA, Skoog became the men's basketball coach and golf coach at Gustavus Adolphus College. He was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 1987.
Skoog resided in an assisted living facility in St. Peter, Minnesota in his later years. He died on April 4, 2019 at the age of 92.
