Joe Axelson grew up in Clinton, Illinois, where his father was the high school basketball coach from 1928 to 1947.
15 Facts About Joe Axelson
1.
2.
In 1947, Joe Axelson graduated from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning.
3.
Joe Axelson was then stationed at Fort Gordon, where he coached the base's basketball and baseball teams.
4.
In 1960, Joe Axelson left Georgia Southern to become sports director of WPDQ in Jacksonville, Florida.
5.
In 1961, Joe Axelson became the publicity director of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
6.
The Royals, who were suffering from declining attendance, chose Joe Axelson based on his reputation as a promoter with the NAIA.
7.
Joe Axelson traded Bill Dinwiddie and a draft pick to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Cousy's playing rights.
8.
That same year, Joe Axelson dealt Jerry Lucas and Adrian Smith, whose style of play was not suited to Cousy's fast-break offense, to the San Francisco Warriors in separate trades.
9.
On March 14,1972, Joe Axelson announced that the team planned to move to Kansas City, Missouri.
10.
On October 16,1973, Joe Axelson received a three-year contract extension.
11.
In 1975, the NAIA chose Joe Axelson to serve as its executive secretary, however he was unable to get out of his contract with the Kings and had to turn down the job.
12.
On July 11,1979, Joe Axelson announced that he would become the NBA's vice president for operations.
13.
On October 31,1984, Joe Axelson announced that the Kings would not renew a five-year option on their lease of Kemper Arena due to a dispute with Kansas City over some of the lease provisions.
14.
Joe Axelson was reassigned to the position of vice president in charge of business operations.
15.
Joe Axelson died on May 31,2008, at his home in Coronado, aged 80.