Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has emerged as a serious contender for the Most Improved Player award after a standout season in Atlanta.
Signed in free agency during the offseason, he has taken on a much larger role and delivered strong results, averaging 20.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
That marks a significant jump from last season in Minnesota, where he averaged 9.4 points in a more limited role.
Alexander-Walker credits his mindset and approach to improvement as key factors in his growth.
“I always figured that the better player I would be, the better it would be for the team,” Alexander-Walker told Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“Like, if you can be a better player, ultimately, it’s going to be better for the team. So, I always try to align things that were going to be hand in hand, you know what I mean?
“And I would never sacrifice one for the other, and in this league, you can’t really, because I feel like it’s a league that rewards winning.”
Alexander-Walker has played 7 seasons for 4 teams, including the Timberwolves and Pelicans. He has averaged 10.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 453 regular-season games.
