Hawks' Nickeil Alexander-Walker Named 60th-Best NBA Player Heading Into 2026-27 Season

Bleacher Report named Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker the 60th-best player in the NBA heading into the 2026-27 season. 

Alexander-Walker is one spot ahead of Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson and one spot behind Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro on Bleacher Report's list. 

Alexander-Walker won the Kia Most Improved Player of the Year award for the 2025-26 season. He's a special player. 

The Hawks acquired Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves last offseason. Alexander-Walker averaged 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game during the 2025-26 regular season. He averaged only 9.4 points per game in 2024-25 with Minnesota.

Alexander-Walker shot 45.9% from the field, 39.9% from beyond the arc and 90.2% from the free-throw line last season. The Hawks are the first team since the Most Improved Player of the Year award’s inception to have back-to-back winners.

Dyson Daniels won the award in 2024-25. 

The cousin of Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Alexander-Walker has career averages of 10.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in the NBA. He's played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz, Timberwolves and Hawks.

“Nickeil's dedication, continual work on his craft, and the ensuing results this season make him incredibly deserving of this award,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said. "He has a tireless work ethic and a focus on improving in every aspect of his game. His game continues to evolve, and his commitment and unselfish attitude as a teammate have also positively impacted the success of the team.”    

The Hawks went 46-36 and won the Southeast Division last season. 

Atlanta lost to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, but remember, the Hawks were the only team to beat the Knicks twice in the 2026 postseason.

That shows how good the Hawks will be moving forward.

Atlanta was sixth in the NBA in points per game and 18th in points per game allowed last season. Let's see what those ranks are this season in Year 5 of the Snyder era. 

While Alexander-Walker is a talented player, the Hawks will go as far as Jalen Johnson takes them this season. 

Johnson had a terrific 2025-26 season for the Hawks. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field, 35.2% from beyond the arc and 78.8% from the free-throw line. The Duke product recorded 49 double-doubles and 13 triple-doubles in 72 games.

How good is Johnson? Last season, he became the fifth player in league history to put up a season in which he averaged at least 22 points, 10 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. The other four players on that list? NBA legends Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokic, Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.

That's amazing company to be in for Johnson.

Johnson's 13 triple-doubles last season set the Hawks franchise record. He thrived as a playmaker and finisher in Atlanta's up-tempo attack and helped lead the franchise to its most wins since the 2015-16 season. 

Atlanta will be a fun team to watch this season with Alexander-Walker and Johnson leading the way.