Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker appears to be on the outside looking in of the Most Improved Player award. He's been praised as a valid candidate in some circles, but the odds seem to imply that he won't be a finalist for the honor.
Though it may not be an official award, a prominent NBA analyst has ensured that Alexander-Walker gets his flowers as a member of the 2025-26 All-Surprise Team.
Alexander-Walker joined Atlanta following a successful stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves during which he emerged as a reliable source of two-way contributions. What's taken hold with the Hawks, however, is an evolution from being dependable for quality production into being a high-level volume scorer—all while maintaining his defensive proficiency.
Fred Katz of The Athletic named Alexander-Walker to his 2025-26 All-Surprise Team, noting that his increase in volume as a scorer has done nothing to harm his defense.
"Alexander-Walker has more than doubled his scoring average. His defense, the reason he got paid less than a year ago, has remained as pesky as ever. No player in the league lives in a constant, more exaggerated defensive stance, knees bent as if he’s doing squats, ready to spring in any direction."
Katz went on to note that while others have seen upticks in volume by virtue of a new-look role, Alexander-Walker has experienced his success by simply being featured more in familiar ways.
"The beauty of Alexander-Walker’s improvement is how organic it’s been. It’s not like the Hawks have handed him duties the Minnesota Timberwolves wouldn’t. They’re just emphasizing him more. The shooting has opened up the rest of his game. Atlanta does whatever it can to involve him in its actions."
Though it may not be a formal award, which Alexander-Walker undoubtedly deserves, it's praise nevertheless for a player who's been deprived of it.
The Athletic names Nickeil Alexander-Walker to All-Surprise Team
Alexander-Walker finished the 2024-25 season averaging 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.7 three-point field goals made on .438/.381/.780 shooting. He did so on a 49-win Timberwolves team that ultimately reached the Western Conference Finals.
Alexander-Walker has blown that production out of the water just one year later at 20.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 3.1 three-point field goals made on .450/.390/.901 shooting with the Hawks in 2025-26.
The knee-jerk reaction is likely to downplay his statistical leap by claiming it's a product of increased playing time. Though his minutes have gone up, it's a fairly reasonable jump from 25.3 a season ago to 33.1 in 2025-26.
The proof of his drastic improvements can be found in leaps from 13.4 to 22.2 points, 0.9 to 1.4 steals, and 2.4 to 3.4 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has made drastic improvements in just 1 year
In some respects, it's a matter of the Hawks featuring Alexander-Walker in a more prominent role while not necessarily altering his general approach to the game. For instance: He's attempting 5.9 more field goals, 2.3 more threes, and 2.3 more free throws per 36 minutes in 2025-26 than in 2024-25.
The fact that Alexander-Walker's efficiency has increased across the board from .438/.381/.780 to .450/.390/.901 is a testament to how perfectly suited he is to the role the Hawks have assigned him.
Despite the uptick in offensive responsibility, Alexander-Walker continues to play at a level worthy of All-Defense recognition. According to Basketball Index, he ranks in the 93rd percentile in perimeter isolation defense and the 91st percentile in off-ball chaser defense. As Katz noted, the film confirms the numbers.
It doesn't seem as though Alexander-Walker will get the Most Improved Player award he deserves, but Katz's recognition is a welcome change to the way the national media has unfortunately ignored this stellar breakthrough season.