Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Men's basketball

Representing  Canada

FIBA World Cup

2023 Philippines–Japan–Indonesia

FIBA Americas U18 Championship

2016 Chile Team | | | 2023 Philippines–Japan–Indonesia | | | 2016 Chile | Team | | | | | | | | | | | | 2023 Philippines–Japan–Indonesia | | | | | | | | | 2016 Chile | Team | | | | | |

Nickeil Alexander-Walker (/nɪˈkiːl/ nih-KEEL; born September 2, 1998) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Virginia Tech Hokies. A versatile guard, Alexander-Walker was selected 17th overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 NBA draft but was traded shortly afterward to the New Orleans Pelicans. He has also played for the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the Hawks. In 2026, Alexander-Walker became the first Canadian to win the NBA Most Improved Player award.

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Alexander-Walker played basketball at Vaughan Secondary School, St. Louis Christian Academy, and Hamilton Heights Christian Academy. 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. According to Scout.com, he was ranked as the no. 74 prospect in the class of 2017.

Alexander-Walker committed to Virginia Tech in May 2016, over offers from USC and Maryland. As a freshman for the Hokies, Alexander-Walker averaged 10.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. In his second game in college, he scored a season-high 29 points in a 132–93 win over The Citadel. He helped lead Virginia Tech to a 21–12 record and NCAA tournament appearance. In the first-round loss to Alabama, Alexander-Walker scored 15 points.

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.

On June 20, 2019, Alexander-Walker was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 NBA draft.

On July 6, 2019, his draft rights were traded to the Atlanta Hawks, alongside Allen Crabbe and draft considerations, for future teammate Taurean Prince and then immediately traded again to the New Orleans Pelicans. The next day, the Pelicans announced that they had signed Alexander-Walker. On October 22, 2019, Alexander-Walker made his NBA debut, coming off the bench in a 130–122 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors. He finished the game with three points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

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 the Miami Heat.

On February 26, 2020, the Pelicans assigned Alexander-Walker to the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G League. 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 the Long Island Nets.

On January 13, 2021, he started for the Pelicans and scored a career-high 37 points against the Los Angeles Clippers.

On February 8, 2022, the Portland 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 the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell. A day later, Alexander-Walker was traded again, this time to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade.

On February 9, 2023, Alexander-Walker, Mike Conley Jr. and three second-round picks were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, which sent Damian Jones, Russell Westbrook and Juan Toscano-Anderson to Utah and Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and D'Angelo Russell to Los Angeles. Alexander-Walker was re-signed by the Timberwolves to a two-year, $9 million contract on July 10, 2023.

Alexander-Walker played in all 82 games for the Timberwolves during the 2024–25 NBA season, posting averages of 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. On May 26, 2025, Alexander-Walker scored a playoff career-high 23 points in a 128–126 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the 2025 Western Conference finals. The Timberwolves went on to lose the series in 5 games.

On July 6, 2025, Alexander-Walker signed a four-year, $62 million contract in a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and cash considerations. On March 16, 2026, he started for the Atlanta Hawks and scored a career-high 41 points in a 124–112 win over the Orlando Magic.

Alexander-Walker competed for Canada at the 2016 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 the 2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

On May 24, 2022, Alexander-Walker agreed to a three-year commitment to play with the Canadian senior men's national team. He was named to Canada's roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Alexander-Walker is Shai 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.

• Career statistics from NBA.com  · Basketball Reference
• Virginia Tech Hokies bio
• USBasket profile