Nickeil Alexander-Walker is making an undeniable case for one of the NBA's top awards

Have a season, Nickeil.

This kind of leap in a seventh NBA season is unheard of. It hardly ever happens. Nickeil Alexander-Walker's taken the term "prime years" to another level. His consistent output as a starter for the Atlanta Hawks has been crucial to the team's late-season turnaround.

It's true, they wouldn't be here without him. Ironically enough, they've put together a ten-game win streak with Trae Young off the roster, the guy who recruited the 27-year-old guard to Atlanta in the first place.

That recruitment paid off, didn't it? Hawks fans can thank Young for a wonderful eight seasons with the organization, but also for ushering in a new era. The most exciting season since the magical 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run is well underway.

Alexander-Walker wasn't even supposed to be a starter this season. He was set to be the first man off the bench for the Young-Dyson Daniels backcourt. When Young went down with an early-season injury and eventually got dealt to Washington, however, he immediately became a vital piece to the lineup.

He hasn't let Hawks fans down. On the season, NAW's averaging 20.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 44.4% from the field and 38.6% from deep. Career-highs in every category except three-point percentage.

NAW should undoubtedly be the front-runner for Most Improved Player.

If he isn't, then what's the point of the award? Seriously. Last season, Alexander-Walker averaged 9.4 points per game. That's right, he's increased his points per game mark by 11. That kind of improvement is unheard of, especially considering the level of efficiency he's been attacking with.

His leap's been even more evident over the team's ten-game win streak. Over his last six outings, he's averaging 25.8 points per game, shooting 50.9% from three on over nine attempts a night. Unreal efficiency resulting in some much-needed wins. It doesn't get better than that.

On Monday night against the Orlando Magic, Alexander-Walker had the best game of his career. With Most Improved Player conversations heating up and Atlanta building the longest streak in the league, he couldn't have picked a better time.

In 37 hard-fought minutes, NAW recorded a career-best 41 points, along with seven rebounds and five assists. He knocked down nine three-pointers on 14 attempts, as well. From start to finish, he absolutely torched the Orlando Magic.

He set the tone early, which ended up being a deciding factor as the game progressed. Scoring eight of the team's first 14 points, Alexander-Walker's ability to create advantages immediately after tip-off has proven crucial over this long stretch of wins.

"Truthfully, the flow and the thought process to the game is the same, and sometimes you just have nights like this," Alexander-Walker shared after the win. "I think the focus, truly, was just about being aggressive at the right time."

The importance of Monday's in-division matchup was real, and Nickeil understood that, noting, "As I pointed to earlier, it was an important game, and I knew that I just had to come out and give my all."

"That was the only thing on my mind," the seventh-year guard added, "just be aggressive, be myself, try to help the team win, and it turned out like this."

14 games remain in the 2025-26 regular season. As for winning the individual award, NAW's got nothing left to prove. Being the team player he is, however, that's almost certainly not at the top of his mind. The Hawks simply cannot let up, and Nickeil knows that.