Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named Most Improved Player for the 2025-26 season, the NBA announced Friday.
Alexander-Walker beat out Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker follows Dyson Daniels to make the Hawks the first team with back-to-back Kia NBA Most Improved Player winners.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 24, 2026
A global media panel of 100 voters selected this season’s recipient.
Complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wo7oAv5ot4
Alexander-Walker nearly doubled his career scoring average with 20.8 points per game in his first season in Atlanta. The seventh-year guard also established new career highs in rebounds (3.4), assists (3.7), and steals (1.3) in his first year as a starter in the league.
"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 in a statement.
"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 moment Nickeil found out he's the MIP 🥹 pic.twitter.com/Z4BWDEBbN0
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 24, 2026
The 27-year-old is the third Hawks player to earn Most Improved Player honors since the award's inception in 1985-86, joining Alan Henderson (1997-98) and last year's winner, Dyson Daniels.
