Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after hitting a three-point basket.
You didn’t need to watch the entirety of Sunday’s Hawks-Hornets game to see and feel Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s impact.
You just needed to see the final moments of the game, where his layup gave the Hawks a 111-110 lead, and his strip of a driving Kon Knueppel sealed the Atlanta win.
Those moments — winning moments — have come to define Alexander-Walker’s start to the season — his best yet.
Alexander-Walker arrived in Atlanta with many experts expecting him to be a useful rotation guard. Instead, he’s become one of the Hawks’ best two-way players.
In a season where Atlanta could’ve been left searching for lineup stability with the injury to star guard Trae Young, Alexander-Walker has given them efficient scoring, top-notch perimeter defense and reliable shooting.
Simply put, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is thriving in Atlanta and the numbers prove it.
Offense takes step forward
Alexander-Walker has improved his scoring efficiency this season while taking advantage of newfound opportunities in Atlanta.
Alexander-Walker is attempting a career-high 14.1 field goals per game — two more than his previous high back in 2021-22 with the Pelicans — and he’s posting 19.3 points per game (a career-best). The volume hasn’t come at the expense of his efficiency as he’s shooting a career-high 46.5% overall.
The increased scoring output may not have been what the Hawks expected out of him this season, but they did expect his 3-point shooting to help them space the floor. He’s lived up to that, shooting 47.4% from the left and 44.4% from the right on corner 3-pointers.
For a team that has missed its most gifted offensive talents in Trae Young for the majority of the season, Alexander-Walker’s offensive growth has been a much-needed addition.
A defensive impact
When the Hawks acquired Alexander-Walker from the Timberwolves via a sign-and-trade deal, his 3-point shooting (36% in his career) was a known entity, as was his defensive intensity.
Pairing Alexander-Walker alongside Kia Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Dyson Daniels has impacted the opposition.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker speaks to the media following a game on Nov. 18, 2025.
The Hawks are 8-4 in November with a Top 10 defensive rating (111.1) as Alexander-Walker has keyed that with his 3.1 deflections per game. That average is on par with his cousin and reigning Kia MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and his former Minnesota teammate and All-Defensive earner Jaden McDaniels. He’s also tied for the team lead in charges drawn with Daniels.
In their 243 combined minutes in November, Daniels and Alexander-Walker are outscoring teams by a rate of 9.6 per 100 possessions when the tandem is on the court.
Alexander-Walker is delivering for the Hawks with his two-way play while keeping Atlanta in the thick of the Eastern Conference chase while Young mends.
