Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has claimed the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, making the Hawks the first franchise in league history to have players capture the honor in consecutive seasons.
The announcement came Friday, with Alexander-Walker following teammate Dyson Daniels, who earned the distinction last year. This historic back-to-back achievement represents a first since the award was established.
At 27 years old, Alexander-Walker joins an exclusive group as only the third player to earn this recognition during his seventh NBA season or beyond. The previous players to accomplish this feat were Julius Randle in his seventh season during 2020-21 and Hedo Turkoglu in his eighth season in 2007-08.
During his debut campaign with Atlanta, Alexander-Walker posted impressive career numbers across the board. He averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per contest while appearing in 78 regular-season games. His shooting percentages also reached new heights at 45.9% from the field, 39.9% from beyond the arc, and 90.2% from the charity stripe.
According to Elias Sports, Alexander-Walker’s scoring jump of 11.4 points per game from his 9.4 average with Minnesota last season ranks as the third-largest improvement among eligible players over the past 25 seasons.
Hawks head coach Quin Snyder praised his player’s transformation in a statement. “Nickeil’s dedication, continual work on his craft, and the ensuing results this season make him incredibly deserving of this award,” Snyder said. “He has a tireless work ethic and a focus on improving in every aspect of his game. His game continues to evolve, and his commitment and unselfish attitude as a teammate have also positively impacted the success of the team.”
The voting results showed Alexander-Walker’s dominance in the selection process. A 100-member international panel awarded him 396 total points, with 66 first-place votes, 19 second-place selections, and nine third-place nods. Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren finished as the runner-up with 254 points and 23 first-place votes, while Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija placed third with 135 points and seven first-place votes.
The remaining top vote-getters included Boston’s Neemias Queta in fourth place with 41 points, Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins fifth with 33 points and three first-place votes, and Hawks teammate Jalen Johnson sixth with 21 points and one first-place vote.
