Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Canadian guard who won NBA Most Improved Player with the Atlanta Hawks in 2026.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (born September 2, 1998) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Virginia Tech Hokies. A versatile guard, Alexander-Walker was selected 17th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 NBA draft but was traded shortly afterward to the New Orleans Pelicans. He has also played for the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the Hawks. In 2026, Alexander-Walker became the first Canadian to win the NBA Most Improved Player award.
Quick Facts
- Draft year
- 2019 (17th Overall)
Lore & Background
A native of Toronto, Ontario, Alexander-Walker played basketball at Vaughan Secondary School, St. Louis Christian Academy, and Hamilton Heights Christian Academy. While at Hamilton Heights, he was teammates with his cousin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they shared a room at their coach's house during that time. According to Scout.com, he was ranked as the no. 74 prospect in the class of 2017. He committed to Virginia Tech in May 2016, over offers from USC and Maryland. As a freshman, he averaged 10.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. In his second game, he scored a season-high 29 points in a 132–93 win over The Citadel. He helped lead Virginia Tech to a 21–12 record and NCAA tournament appearance. In the first-round loss to Alabama, Alexander-Walker scored 15 points. As a sophomore, he averaged 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game during the regular season. He helped lead Virginia Tech to a 24–8 season, with a 12–6 record in the ACC and a 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Sweet 16.
Reader's Guide
Alexander-Walker was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 NBA draft. On July 6, 2019, his draft rights were traded to the Atlanta Hawks, alongside Allen Crabbe and draft considerations, in exchange for Taurean Prince; he was then immediately traded again to the New Orleans Pelicans. The next day, the Pelicans announced they had signed him. He made his NBA debut on October 22, 2019, coming off the bench in a 130–122 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors, finishing with three points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. On November 16, 2019, he scored a career-high 27 points in a 109–94 loss against the Miami Heat. On February 26, 2020, the Pelicans assigned him to the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G League. On February 27, he had 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in his first G League game, a 125–124 win over the Long Island Nets. He made 47 appearances (including one start) for New Orleans during his rookie campaign, averaging 5.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. On January 13, 2021, he started and scored a career-high 37 points against the Los Angeles Clippers. He made 46 appearances (including 13 starts) for the Pelicans during the 2020–21 season, averaging 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. He made 50 appearances (including 19 starts) for New Orleans to begin the 2021–22 season, averaging 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. On February 8, 2022, the Portland Trail Blazers acquired him from the Pelicans in a trade. A day later, he was traded again to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade. He made 15 appearances (two starts) down the stretch for Utah, averaging 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. He played in 36 appearances (including three starts) for the Jazz during the 2022–23 season, averaging 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. On February 9, 2023, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade. He made 23 appearances as a reserve over the remainder of the season, averaging 5.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists. He was re-signed by the Timberwolves to a two-year, $9 million contract on July 10, 2023. He made 82 appearances (20 starts) for the Timberwolves in the 2023–24 season, averaging 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
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