The Atlanta Hawks have made history with back-to-back NBA Most Improved Player Award winners. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named the 2025-26 Most Improved Player on Friday, becoming the second consecutive Hawks player to earn the prestigious honor following Dyson Daniels' win last season.
Alexander-Walker's Remarkable Transformation
Alexander-Walker won the award over fellow finalists Deni Avdija and Jalen Duren. The 27-year-old guard has experienced a remarkable career resurgence in his first season with Atlanta after signing as a free agent in the summer of 2025.
His defense never missed a beat, but he more than doubled his scoring from 9.4 to 20.8 points per game while also racking up a career-high 3.7 assists per game. This dramatic improvement represents one of the most significant statistical leaps in recent Most Improved Player history.
From Journeyman to Star
Alexander-Walker's path to this award was anything but straightforward. Alexander-Walker was the No. 17 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but after two-and-a-half years in New Orleans, he was dealt to Portland in the CJ McCollum trade. Only a day later, he was shipped off again, this time to Utah. The Jazz then sent him to Minnesota, where he carved out a role as a defensive specialist.
Though his scoring numbers went down in Minnesota, he reinvented himself as a star reserve defender, and after making just 32.9% of his 3-pointers in his first three seasons, he shot 38.4% from deep with the Wolves. However, salary cap constraints led Minnesota to prioritize other players in free agency.
Hawks' Vision Unlocks Potential
Though Alexander-Walker was initially signed to be a defensive-minded backup behind Trae Young, an early injury to Young opened the door for Alexander-Walker to become a core piece for the Hawks. Head coach Quin Snyder, who had previously worked with Alexander-Walker in Utah, believed the guard could be much more than a role player.
"He saw a ceiling higher for myself than I did," Alexander-Walker told NBA.com in a phone interview. That faith proved prescient as Alexander-Walker flourished with expanded opportunities. He had a career-high 41 points in a 124-112 victory against the Orlando Magic on March 16.
Historic Back-to-Back Hawks Winners
Seven of the past nine winners were first-time All-Star selections, but for the second straight year following Dyson Daniels' win last season, a member of the Atlanta Hawks has bucked that trend. This makes Atlanta only the second franchise in NBA history to produce consecutive Most Improved Player winners.
Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels is the recipient of the George Mikan Trophy as the 2024-25 Kia NBA Most Improved Player. Daniels won the award after dramatically improving his scoring and becoming one of the league's premier defenders in his first season with the Hawks.
Two-Way Excellence
What sets Alexander-Walker apart from many scoring-focused Most Improved candidates is his continued defensive excellence. With his length and activity, Alexander-Walker has become a disruptive presence on the perimeter, averaging over a steal per game and regularly taking on challenging assignments.
He has helped the Hawks to a 42-33 record, makes a compelling case for 2025-26 Kia Most Improved Player and is one of the most impactful free agents from the summer of 2025. His emergence has been instrumental in Atlanta's playoff push and represents one of the best value signings of the offseason.
Looking Ahead
Alexander-Walker's incredible journey from journeyman role player to Most Improved Player winner is a testament to perseverance, hard work, and finding the right opportunity. After bouncing between four teams in less than four years, he has finally found a home in Atlanta where his complete skill set can shine.
The award validates not only Alexander-Walker's dedication to improving his game but also the Hawks' player development system and coaching staff's ability to maximize talent. As Atlanta continues building its young core, Alexander-Walker has established himself as a cornerstone piece for the franchise's future.
Sources & Original Reporting