As Quin Snyder's upstart Atlanta Hawks navigate the post-Trae Young era and jockey for position in the NBA's Eastern Conference Play-In tournament, Nickeil Alexander-Walker has emerged as an unexpected offensive catalyst. The former Virginia Tech standout has also rewritten his career narrative. No longer just a rotational piece, Alexander-Walker is posting eye-popping numbers that would make even the most optimistic front-office executives do a double-take.
The 27-year-old guard is no longer a complementary piece hiding in the margins. NAW is a primary option, a go-to scorer, and increasingly, one of the most compelling breakout stories of the NBA season. Averaging career-highs of 19.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals has Alexander-Walker in line for some NBA Most Improved Player votes.
Snyder saw the jump coming, but it all started with being trusted to make the right decision regardless of who was getting the extra attention.
“As far as the playmaking goes, you know (Alexander-Walker) can get in the lane,” Snyder stated. “He is not your typical playmaker, but I think he is unselfish and willing to get off the ball when he is guarded.”
Alexander-Walker is also shooting 37.2% from three-point range on 8.2 attempts per game. That's nearly double the volume with almost the same efficiency despite an increase in other responsibilities. Hawks GM Bryson Graham, who was with the New Orleans Pelicans when Alexander-Walker was drafted, made the bet that all of the extra shooting work would eventually pay off somewhere.
“I think that we saw that at such an early point in (Alexander-Walker's) career,” noted Snyder, “and now you can tell where it came from. It's the person that he was, the competitor that he was. I think in Minnesota, he really established himself as a defender and a knockdown three-point shooter, particularly from the corners. We've tried to encourage him to really be aggressive in shooting. Even some contested shots from three, I think, his confidence propels him.”
That aggression is precisely what the Hawks need as they navigate the treacherous waters of the Play-In race. With every game carrying heightened stakes, Snyder has found a reliable scoring option who can stretch defenses to their breaking point.
However, what makes Alexander-Walker particularly valuable in Snyder's system is his unconventional approach to playmaking. He's not a traditional point guard who dominates the ball, yet NAW is creating offense in ways that keep defenses off-balance. Jalen Johnson appreciates someone else stepping up to ease the offensive burdens.
As for Nickeil Alexander-Walker's late-20s trajectory? Well, he arrived in the NBA with a defined skill set, worked to expand it, and now finds himself in a system that actively encourages him to do more. The Hawks have leaned into what Alexander-Walker does best and then pushed him further. Shoot the contested three. Get downhill. Trust yourself. That's the perfect kind of home for his prime years.
And by nearly every measure, he has responded. Whether that translates into a Play-In berth or perhaps something more will define the rest of this season. But Alexander-Walker's breakout has already answered a question that lingered for years. Given the right environment and the right voice in his ear, what could he become? The answer, it turns out, is a 20-point scorer on a playoff team.
