Nickeil Alexander-Walker Wins 2025-26 NBA Most Improved Player Award, Full Voting Results Revealed

Nickeil Alexander-Walker rewarded the Atlanta Hawks' belief in him last summer with the best season of his career and earning the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year honor for the 2025-26 campaign.

Alexander-Walker beat out finalist Deni Avdija of the Portland Trail Blazers and Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons for the award. He received 66 of a possible 100 first-place votes.

After spending most of his first eight seasons in a sixth man role for multiple teams, Alexander-Walker joined the Hawks on a four-year, $62 million contract last offseason.

From 2019-20 to 2024-25, Alexander-Walker averaged 8.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 381 appearances. His single-season career-high in scoring was 11.0 in his second NBA season with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Head coach Quin Snyder put more on Alexander-Walker's plate, including making him a full-time starter early in the season. He responded by setting career-highs in scoring average (20.8) on 39.9 percent three-point shooting, 3.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.

In addition to his improved offensive output, Alexander-Walker remains as lauded as ever for his defensive effort.

The Hawks went through some significant roster changes early in the season. Trae Young, who had been the face of the franchise for seven years, was traded to the Washington Wizards in January.

That left Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson as the two main engines for Snyder's roster. They responded by leading the Hawks to their most wins since 2015-16 and the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Alexander-Walker is the second consecutive Hawks player and third overall to be named Most Improved Player since the NBA introduced the award in 1985-86.