Atlanta Hawks standout Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named the 2025-26 NBA Most Improved Player on Friday, becoming the second straight Hawks player to take home the prestigious award.
The 6-foot-5 guard delivered a breakout season, posting career highs across the board with 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He also set new personal bests in blocks, field goal percentage, and three-point shooting. His scoring jumped a massive 11.4 points from last season’s 9.4 average off the bench with the Minnesota Timberwolves — the third-biggest single-season increase in the past 25 years.
Alexander-Walker fought back tears while speaking to reporters, calling the honor a powerful validation after years of believing in himself when few others did.
“It really validates my feelings,” he said. “Sometimes I think everyone’s been through that where they feel something and other people might not see it yet. And it’s kind of like that ‘told you’ moment… this game has made me feel delusional at times, but now it’s real.”
The award also carries special meaning for his family, as he’s the cousin of Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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“It’s good to make the family proud,” Alexander-Walker added. “When you’re Shai’s cousin, a lot of times you get referred to as Shai’s cousin. Now being recognized for being Nickeil Alexander-Walker feels great.”
He follows teammate Dyson Daniels, who won the award last season — the first time in NBA history that back-to-back winners have come from the same team. In his seventh season, Alexander-Walker stepped up big time after Trae Young’s knee injury and eventual trade, helping keep the Hawks in the playoff picture. He scored in double figures in 76 games and knocked down a franchise-record 251 threes.
The guard credited the opportunity in Atlanta and his relentless mindset for the breakout year.
“I had to make the most of it… I was hanging on for dear life, still am and still will be.”