_by_Sandro_Halank%25E2%2580%2593067.jpg) Alexander-Walker withCanada in 2023 | |
| No. 7 – Atlanta Hawks | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard /point guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1998-09-02)September 2, 1998 (age 27) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| College | Virginia Tech (2017–2019) |
| NBA draft | 2019: 1st round, 17th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Brooklyn Nets |
| Playing career | 2019–present |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2022 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2020 | →Erie BayHawks |
| 2022–2023 | Utah Jazz |
| 2023–2025 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2025–present | Atlanta Hawks |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (/nɪˈkiːl/nih-KEEL;[1] born September 2, 1998), also known by his initialsNAW, is a Canadian professionalbasketball player for theAtlanta Hawks of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He playedcollege basketball for theVirginia Tech Hokies. A versatileguard, Alexander-Walker was selected 17th overall by theBrooklyn Nets in the2019 NBA draft but was traded shortly afterward to theNew Orleans Pelicans.[2] He has also played for theUtah Jazz andMinnesota Timberwolves before joining the Hawks.
A native ofToronto,Ontario, Alexander-Walker played basketball atVaughan Secondary School, St. Louis Christian Academy, and Hamilton Heights Christian Academy.[3] While at Hamilton Heights, he was teammates with his cousin,Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and they shared a room at their coach's house during that time.[4] According toScout.com, he was ranked as the no. 74 prospect in the class of 2017.[3]
Alexander-Walker committed toVirginia Tech in May 2016, over offers fromUSC andMaryland. As a freshman for the Hokies, Alexander-Walker averaged 10.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.[5] In his second game in college, he scored a season-high 29 points in a 132–93 win overThe Citadel.[6] He helped lead Virginia Tech to a 21–12 record andNCAA tournament appearance. In the first-round loss toAlabama, Alexander-Walker scored 15 points.[7]
As a sophomore, Alexander-Walker averaged 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game during the regular season. He helped lead Virginia Tech to a 24–8 season, with a 12–6 record in the ACC and a 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Sweet 16.[8]
On June 20, 2019, Alexander-Walker was selected with the 17th overall pick by theBrooklyn Nets in the2019 NBA draft.
On July 6, 2019, his draft rights were traded to theAtlanta Hawks, alongsideAllen Crabbe and draft considerations, for future teammateTaurean Prince[9] and then immediately traded again to theNew Orleans Pelicans.[10] The next day, the Pelicans announced that they had signed Alexander-Walker.[11] On October 22, 2019, Alexander-Walker made his NBA debut, coming off the bench in a 130–122 overtime loss to theToronto Raptors. He finished the game with three points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.[12]
On November 16, 2019, Alexander-Walker scored a career-high 27 points, while getting four rebounds and three assists in a 109–94 loss against theMiami Heat.[13]
On February 26, 2020, the Pelicans assigned Alexander-Walker to theErie BayHawks of theNBA G League.[14] On February 27, 2020, Alexander-Walker had 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in his first G League game, a 125–124 win over theLong Island Nets.[15]
On January 13, 2021, he started for the Pelicans and scored a career-high 37 points against theLos Angeles Clippers.[16]
On February 8, 2022, thePortland Trail Blazers acquired Alexander-Walker,Josh Hart,Tomáš Satoranský,Didi Louzada, a protected 2022 first-round draft pick, the better of New Orleans' and Portland's 2026 second-round draft picks and New Orleans' 2027 second-round draft pick from theNew Orleans Pelicans in exchange forCJ McCollum,Larry Nance Jr. andTony Snell.[17] A day later, Alexander-Walker was traded again, this time to theUtah Jazz in a three-team trade.[18]
On February 9, 2023, Alexander-Walker,Mike Conley Jr. and three second-round picks were traded to theMinnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade with theLos Angeles Lakers, which sentDamian Jones,Russell Westbrook andJuan Toscano-Anderson to Utah andMalik Beasley,Jarred Vanderbilt, andD'Angelo Russell to Los Angeles.[19] Alexander-Walker was re-signed by the Timberwolves on July 10, 2023.[20]
Alexander-Walker played in all 82 games for the Timberwolves during the2024–25 NBA season, posting averages of 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.[21] On May 26, 2025, Alexander-Walker scored a playoff career-high 23 points in a 128–126 loss against theOklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the2025 Western Conference finals.[22] The Timberwolves went on to lose the series in 5 games.[23]
On July 6, 2025, Alexander-Walker signed a four-year, $62 million contract in a sign-and-trade with theAtlanta Hawks in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and cash considerations.[24][25]
Alexander-Walker competed for Canada at the2016 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship, leading the team to the silver medal. He led all scorers in the tournament with 17.4 points per game. He also competed for the Canadian senior national team in the2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[3]
On May 24, 2022, Alexander-Walker agreed to a three-year commitment to play with the Canadian senior men's national team.[26] He was named to Canada's roster for the2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[27]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | New Orleans | 47 | 1 | 12.6 | .368 | .346 | .676 | 1.8 | 1.9 | .4 | .2 | 5.7 |
| 2020–21 | New Orleans | 46 | 13 | 21.9 | .419 | .347 | .727 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | .5 | 11.0 |
| 2021–22 | New Orleans | 50 | 19 | 26.3 | .375 | .311 | .722 | 3.3 | 2.8 | .8 | .4 | 12.8 |
| Utah | 15 | 2 | 9.9 | .333 | .303 | .917 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.1 | .3 | 3.5 | |
| 2022–23 | Utah | 36 | 3 | 14.7 | .488 | .402 | .692 | 1.6 | 2.1 | .7 | .4 | 6.3 |
| Minnesota | 23 | 0 | 15.5 | .384 | .361 | .619 | 1.8 | 1.4 | .3 | .3 | 5.9 | |
| 2023–24 | Minnesota | 82 | 20 | 23.4 | .439 | .391 | .800 | 2.0 | 2.5 | .8 | .5 | 8.0 |
| 2024–25 | Minnesota | 82 | 10 | 25.3 | .438 | .381 | .780 | 3.2 | 2.7 | .6 | .4 | 9.4 |
| Career | 381 | 68 | 20.8 | .414 | .360 | .743 | 2.5 | 2.3 | .7 | .4 | 8.6 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Utah | 1 | 0 | 4.7 | 1.000 | — | 1.000 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 5.0 |
| 2023 | Minnesota | 5 | 4 | 29.6 | .429 | .400 | .667 | 2.0 | 1.4 | .6 | .2 | 8.4 |
| 2024 | Minnesota | 16 | 1 | 23.6 | .366 | .296 | 1.000 | 1.8 | 2.3 | .6 | .4 | 7.3 |
| 2025 | Minnesota | 15 | 0 | 20.7 | .389 | .349 | .882 | 1.8 | 2.3 | .4 | .3 | 8.3 |
| Career | 37 | 5 | 22.7 | .389 | .331 | .903 | 1.8 | 2.2 | .5 | .4 | 7.8 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Virginia Tech | 33 | 33 | 25.4 | .449 | .392 | .730 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .8 | .5 | 10.7 |
| 2018–19 | Virginia Tech | 34 | 34 | 34.3 | .474 | .374 | .778 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 1.9 | .5 | 16.2 |
| Career | 67 | 67 | 29.9 | .464 | .383 | .763 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 1.4 | .5 | 13.5 | |
Alexander-Walker isShai Gilgeous-Alexander’s first cousin—Alexander-Walker’s mother Nicole is the sister of Gilgeous-Alexander’s father Vaughn—and the two share a close relationship. Growing up, the cousins spent every weekend at each other’s houses and practiced basketball together during the summers.[4][28]
Gilgeous-Alexander's father, Vaughn, is the brother of Alexander-Walker's mother, Nicole.
· Basketball Reference
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