Axel Nikulásson

Axel Arnar Nikulásson (2 June 1962 – 21 January 2022) was an Icelandic basketball player and coach. He won the Icelandic championship twice, with Keflavík in 1989 and with KR in 1990.[1][2]

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Axel.

Axel Nikulásson
Personal information
Born(1962-06-02)2 June 1962
Akranes, Iceland
Died21 January 2022(2022-01-21) (aged 59)
NationalityIcelandic
Career information
CollegeEast Stroudsburg (1983–1987)
Playing career1979–1993
Coaching career1994–1995
Career history
As player:
1979–1983Keflavík
1987Grindavík
1987–1989Keflavík
1989–1992KR
1993Reynir Sandgerði
As coach:
1994–1995KR
Career highlights and awards
Career Úrvalsdeild karla playing statistics
Points1,492 (13.2 ppg)
Games113
Career coaching record
Úrvalsdeild karla22–19 (.537)

Early life

Axel was born in Akranes in 1962 but grew up in Keflavík.[3]

Playing career

Axel started playing basketball with Keflavík's youth teams around the age of 11. He broke into the first-team in 1979 and helped the team with the second-tier 1. deild in 1982 and achieve promotion to the first-tier Úrvalsdeild karla. During his first Úrvalsdeild season, Axel averaged 18.6 and helped Keflavík finish as the runner-up to the national championship.[4][5]

The following season, Axel moved to the United States to attend East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania where he also played for the school's basketball team, the East Stroudsburg Warriors.[6] He appeared in one Icelandic Cup game for Grindavík in December January 1987 while home on Christmas vacation.[7]

During the summer of 1987, Axel rejoined Keflavík.[8] The following season he quit the team[9] after the controversial firing of head coach Lee Nober.[10] He eventually rejoined the team[11] and helped it win the 1989 national championship.

After the championship, he left Keflavík and signed with KR with whom he won the 1990 national championship.

Axel retired from playing after appearing in three games for Reynir Sandgerði in 1993.[1]

National team career

Between 1980 and 1992, Axel played 63 games for the Icelandic national basketball team.[12]

Coaching career

Axel was hired as the head coach of KR prior to the 1994–1995 season. He led the team to a 16–16 record and a trip to the playoffs. The following season, he stepped down as head coach in November 1995[13] after a 6–3 start.[14]

Post basketball career

In 1995, Axel started working for the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs.[15]

Axel died on 21 January 2022, at the age of 59.[16][17][18]

References
  1. "Jón Arnór er kjölfesta liðsins". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). 3 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  2. Sigmundur Ó. Steinarsson (4 June 1991). "Einn fyrir alla og allir fyrir einn". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). pp. 4B–5B. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  3. "Lifandi upplýsingaveita". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 6 January 2007. p. 46. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  4. "Valsmenn Íslandsmeistarar". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 22 March 1983. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  5. "Sönnuðum það að við erum bestir". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 22 March 1983. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  6. "Hér er það talin fötlun að vera hvítur". Nútíminn (in Icelandic). 12 May 1984. p. 30. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  7. "Grindavík áfram". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 15 January 1987. p. 59. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  8. "Gunnar áfram hjá ÍBK". Víkurfréttir (in Icelandic). 12 June 1987. p. 16. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  9. "Axel hættur með Keflavíkurliðinu". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 28 January 1989. p. 46. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  10. "Nober rekinn frá ÍBK". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 25 January 1989. p. 42. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  11. Ægir Már Kárason (6 February 1989). "Axel heldur áfram". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 19. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  12. "KKÍ | A landslið". kki.is. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  13. "Íþróttir Fólk". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 10 November 1995. p. C2. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  14. "Þjálfarasaga úrvalsdeildar karla í körfubolta". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Association. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  15. "Líkar vel við flökkulífið". Víkurfréttir (in Icelandic). 24 December 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  16. Skúli Sigurðsson (21 January 2022). "Axel Nikulásson er látinn". Karfan.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  17. Tryggvi Páll Tryggvason (22 January 2022). "Axel Nikulásson látinn". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  18. "Axel Nikulásson fallinn frá". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
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