There wasn’t a moment where Nickeil Alexander-Walker figured things out last year. He played inconsistent minutes all season and likely wouldn’t have played a significant role in the playoffs if Jaden McDaniels hadn’t injured his hand punching a wall in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ final regular-season game. But someone had to guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Minnesota’s second play-in game. Who better than a direct relative?
Alexander-Walker grew up with Gilgeous-Alexander in Toronto, and Alexander-Walker held his cousin to 22 points on 5-of-19 shooting. The Wolves beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-95 to qualify for the playoffs. The top-seeded Denver Nuggets beat Minnesota in five games, but Alexander-Walker averaged 29.6 minutes and 8.4 points per game and shot 40% from three in that series. He had only played 4:41 minutes playoff minutes before last year.
It would be easy to isolate an individual game and use it as evidence that Alexander-Walker would show out in the postseason. He had an efficient seven-point night when he played 5:31 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 78 or his 16 points against the San Antonio Spurs in Minnesota’s penultimate game. But how much can anyone glean from those performances?
Instead, in his second NBA season, Alexander-Walker started developing a balance between being present and having perspective. He’s honed this skill throughout his career. Alexander-Walker prepared diligently for each game and tried to stay in the moment while playing.
“Film, a lot of paying attention to the scouting report, and knowing who I’m going up against,” he said, laying out his formula for success after scoring 18 points and finishing +28 in Game 1 against the Phoenix Suns. “Tendencies. Want. Like, a want to, a will. A desire to want to do it.
“I have a bigger picture in mind all the time. Knowing it’s not about me. It’s not about how I feel in this moment. It’s about what the team needs and providing that. And making sure that each and every possession, I’m giving my full effort.”
Alexander-Walker didn’t experience immediate success in the NBA. The New Orleans Pelicans took him 17th overall in the 2019 draft but traded him to the Utah Jazz in this third season. Alexander-Walker finished the 2021-22 season in Utah, but the Jazz traded him to Minnesota in the Mike Conley deal at the trade deadline a year later.
The Associated Press called Alexander-Walker “the other guard [Minnesota] acquired in the deal from the Jazz.” The Star Tribune had an extensive write-up on the trade but only briefly mentioned him. “Alexander-Walker is averaging 6.3 points in 36 games this season,” it read. “[The Wolves] will be his third team in four seasons out of Virginia Tech. He will be a restricted free agent after the season.”
However, Chris Finch had coached Alexander-Walker in New Orleans, and Conley had been a positive influence on him in Utah. Finch played him 16.6 minutes per night, knowing he was a sound defensive player with some offensive upside. Conley knew when and where to get Alexander-Walker the ball and helped keep him in a good headspace. Tim Connelly showed faith in him this offseason, signing him to a two-year, $9 million contract.
“[Conley is] like a big brother to me, through and thorough,” said Alexander-Walker. “He’s someone who doesn’t really want to shoot the ball a lot. He keeps people together. And then when it’s time, you really see another version of Mike that people are surprised by.
“Mike is choosing to play this way because he has this view of the bigger picture. Ultimately, it’s helped me. From when I got there in Utah, just how my game changed; I was just a young, eager guy trying to score on every possession. And I just found myself watching him play, making the reads, and talking to him all the time, picking his brain as much as I can.”
Alexander-Walker, 25, has honed his ability to stay in the moment without losing perspective. He pores over the scouting reports because he wants to lock down his man, knowing he can have an off-night shooting and stay on the floor if he plays sound defense. Alexander-Walker carved out a role as a defensive stopper this year. But in some games, he played point guard and focused on distributing the ball, while he focused more on scoring in others.
“When you guard, that’s how you stay on the court,” Alexander-Walker said after going 7 of 12 from the floor in Game 1. “It’s not a given every night that I’m gonna shoot what I shot today, and it’s given every night that I have the ability to guard. And if I provide that every day, then they’ll live with 4 for 9 (from three) today, or if I go 1 for 5 tomorrow, God forbid.
“Whatever the case may be, my defense has allowed me to add some value to where I can just be out here shooting a shot.”
He qualified that he can’t “just be out here jacking shots like crazy,” but it allows him to let go of the ball when it releases from his hands. Regardless of if it goes in, he can provide value on the other side of the floor. Alexander-Walker’s balance between presence and perspective is rooted in his faith. He still gets frustrated when he plays poorly, but he’s learned to let go.
“Sometimes I’m like hard on myself, just because I really strive to be the best I can be, and I want to be a great player,” Alexander-Walker said after finishing with 16 points and +23 in Game 3. “It’s just been peaks and valleys, I guess. But the cool thing about it through all of it is just glory to God.
“Staying humble, staying solid in my foundation of Christ, and just trusting all the work that I put in, knowing that He’s going to provide for me and put me in opportunities to do that. I’m a firm believer of Matthew 25:29. It just talks about whenever you do the most with what you can, you’ll be given more. And basically, that’s what I’ve been doing now, and I’ll just continue to live my life like that.”
Alexander-Walker arrived in Minnesota having played on three teams in four years. He played sporadic minutes after the deadline but locked down Gilgeous-Alexander in the play-in last year. Alexander-Walker has become a formidable one-two tandem with McDaniels this season, and he played a pivotal role in the first three games against Phoenix.
He doesn’t believe there is one moment where he figured things out last year. Instead, Alexander-Walker allowed himself to be present without losing perspective. He has tapped into his ample talents, and the Wolves have increasingly trusted him with more significant roles. He’s done what he can with what he has, and he’s been given more.
