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Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Nickeil Alexander-Walker profile
Drafted #17 in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Pelicans
RCSI: 34 (2017)
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
Weight: 204 lbs (93 kg)
Position: SG
High School: Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Tennessee)
Hometown: Toronto, ON
College: Virginia Tech
Current Team: Timberwolves
Win - Loss: 5 - 0
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Nike Hoop Summit Interview and Practice Highlights

Articles

Nike Hoop Summit Scouting Reports: Guards

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
Apr 11, 2017, 05:52 pm
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Canada, PG/SG, Class of 2017, Virginia Tech, 18.6
 
Strengths
-Excellent tools for a lead guard prospect at 6' 5.5 with a 6' 9 wingspan. On the light side (especially in the lower body) but has wide shoulders that should fill out nicely. Gained six pounds since Elite 24 in 2016.
-Versatile offensively - can operate on and off the ball thanks to his ability to play out of pick and roll and make spot up jumpers (43.3 3P%) with time and space. Streaky shooter but can make a pull up three if the defense goes under.
-Creative ball handler who uses his ambidexterity to change directions and attack going left or right. Uses his wiry frame to fit into tight spaces. Makes an effort to shift gears although he's not all that explosive or shifty with the ball. 
-Although not all that explosive he uses his length to finish from different angles around the rim. Puts english on the ball when necessary. Comfortable right and left-handed finisher.
-Solid vision on the move. Can pass over the top in pick and roll or deliver the ball from different angles while on the move. Equally as comfortable passing with either hand.
-Good instincts defensively. Long arms. Will sit down in a stance and compete. Best defending lead guards right now, but could become a two-position defender with added strength.
-Professional approach. Although not overly vocal, he's a good teammate overall.  Very articulate off the floor.
 
Weaknesses
-Nice frame but thin at this stage of his development, especially in the lower body. Needs to improve his ability to play through contact on both ends.
-Lacks a degree of physical toughness. Struggles around the rim vs length and size. Doesn't get to the free throw line at a high rate: 3.7 attempts per 40 minutes. Would benefit from adding a consistent floater.
-More smooth and fluid than explosive. Lacks an extra gear off of a live dribble. Relies on strides, craft and change of direction to get into the paint.
-Inconsistent shooter. Career 50% from the free throw line. Slow getting to his release. Needs time and space. Doesn't always finish th same. Shoots more of a set shot. Can improve his ability to create space off the bounce.
-Decent feel overall but still a bit raw as a decision maker. Tends to force the issue at times. Will drive into traffic without much of a plan. An improved pull up jumper should open up the floor for him.
-Can improve his physicality on the defensive end - dies on screens, better defending guards he can space defend. Not always going to use his body to contain penetration.
-Checks a few boxes but isn't quite great in one area.
-While he has good body language as a teammate he can become more vocal running the show
 
Outlook
Alexander-Walker had an up and down week in Portland in front of NBA scouts and executives. On one hand the Toronto native struggled to make shots consistently, wasn't able to create much separation against length and athleticism, had some issues playing through contact, and proved to be more of a combo guard than a pure point guard in terms of his decision making. With that said, Alexander-Walker's physical tools, sound overall feel for the game, potential as a jump shooter, ambidexterity, creativity as a finisher and flashes of vision make him a very intriguing long-term prospect, especially as his frame fills out. Alexander-Walker will have his toughness tested by Buzz Williams at Virginia Tech, where he'll be asked to play with defensive intensity and physicality, which should go a long way in his development. Alexander-Walker may need some time to develop on both ends but he certainly has upside as a versatile guard with NBA tools who can play on or off the ball.

2017 Nickeil Alexander-Walker Hoop Summit Interview and Highlights

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Jim Hlavac
Jim Hlavac
Apr 08, 2017, 10:25 pm
An interview with Nickeil Alexander-Walker with highlights from the Nike Hoop Summit practices in Portland, Oregon.


Interview

2017 Nike Hoop Summit Shooting Drills: World Select Team

Richard Walker
Richard Walker
Jim Hlavac
Jim Hlavac
Apr 06, 2017, 07:32 pm

2017 Nike Hoop Summit: World Select Team Measurements

DraftExpress
DraftExpress
Apr 03, 2017, 02:11 am
 Rounding out the list of future high major guards out of Canada on this roster, Alexander-Walker has tremendous size for a point guard at 6'5.5 with a 6'9 wingspan.  Teaming with Shai Alexander at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Tennessee this season, the Toronto native shares his teammate's terrific combination of size and length for either guard spotting.  The 18-year-old also tipped the scales at 191 pounds in Portland, a significant improvement from the 180 pounds he weighed at the BioSteel All-Canadian Game last spring.  Headed to the ACC to play under Buzz Williams at Virginia Tech this fall, Alexander-Walker certainly looks the part of an early contributor.

The Top Ten Performers at the 2016 adidas Nations

Julian Applebome
Julian Applebome
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
Aug 03, 2016, 04:56 pm
#7) Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 6'5, Point Guard, 17.9 years old, Canada

EWA: .9
PER: 24.5
TS%: 73.1%
13.6 PTS, 3.4 REB, 1.6 AST, .8 STL, 14-25 3P%, 60.4 FG%

After a strong showing for second place Canada at the U18's just a couple weeks ago, Alexander-Walker put together another impressive performance for Team Canada. He shot the ball well at the U18's, and did it again at the Adidas Nations, finishing second in 3-pointers made on remarkably efficient 56% on five attempts per game. He finished third in true shooting percentage at 73.1, the only guard to rank in the top eight of that statistic.



As impressive as Alexander-Walker was shooting the ball from deep, he's at his best making plays with the ball in his hands. At 6'5, he has excellent size and length at the point guard position. He is a smooth and crafty ball handler, who looks comfortable setting up his teammates out of isolation and dribble drive situations, or manipulating ball screens. He lacks a certain degree of explosiveness, and can have difficulty turning the corner, but he can compensate for it with his flashy ball handling and smooth footwork that he uses to get to his spots. His lack of explosiveness can show on finishes around the rim as he often finishes with runners and floaters instead of aggressively attacking the rim looking for contact. He has the length and speed to finish around the rim, but can struggle against length.

Despite the plays he can make with the ball in his hands, Alexander-Walker still looks like he is making the transition to becoming a true point guard. He is still working on knowing when to score and when to pass, a development that is key for players his age who operate between both guard positions. He has the tendency to either overpass or take some bad shots, something that his college coaches will hone in on as he gets to the next level. He has the length to be a factor on the defensive end of the floor, but at this stage looks much more comfortable defending on the perimeter than he does against bigger players. He'll need to add some strength as he at times looks like he is shying away from physicality.

Alexander-Walker will play his senior season at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Tennesse, and he has already made a commitment to play at Virginia Tech for Buzz Williams. He is a skilled and productive guard with a great deal of upside to continue to improve. It will be an interesting development to see how his game and position translates at the college level.

The Top Ten Performers at the 2016 FIBA U18 Americas Championship

Julian Applebome
Julian Applebome
Jul 27, 2016, 11:50 am
#6) Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 6'5, Point Guard, 17.8 years old, Canada


EWA: .9
PER: 23.0
TS%: 52.9%
17.4 PTS, 4.2 REB, 1.0 AST, 2.4 STL, 17-41 3P%, 42.1 FG%

Alexander-Walker, the 17-year old out of Canada was impressive in Valdivia, where he led the tournament in scoring at over 17 points per game. Alexander-Walker's tournament was highlighted by a 25-point performance in the championship game, where he shot 7 for 14 from beyond the arc from the United States. He has a versatile skill set, and although he is more of a combo guard than a true point at this stage, he has the ball-handling ability and vision to continue to develop in this area.

He has not always been known as a knockdown shooter, but he looked the part in the U18's, leading the tournament in 3-pointers made. He has a bit of a slow release that he'll have to work on as he gets to the college level, and has to deal with more length and athleticism. What really stands about Alexander Walker's game is his comfort level playing with either hand. He is not the quickest or most athletic player, but he has soft touch on his floaters and pull ups, and is crafty finishing around the rim with either hand.

Alexander-Walker has the length and quickness to be a factor on the defensive end, but will need fill out his 175-pound frame so he doesn't get pushed around at the college level. He is someone to monitor at the next level given his size and skill set, and it will be interesting to see what kind of impact he can have during his freshmen year at Virginia Tech under Buzz Williams.

Stephen Curry Select Camp Scouting Reports

Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
Jul 02, 2016, 10:36 am
Alexander-Walker took another jump in his progression since we last saw him at the 2016 BioSteel game in Canada. We've been evaluating Alexander-Walker as an NBA prospect for about a year now and he continues to impress with his combination of physical tools and versatile skill set. Although he's been prone to blending in and bouts of inconsistency in the toughness department in the past, the Toronto native did a little bit of everything at the Steph Curry Camp, and showed why he'll likely end up being considered a steal for Virginia Tech and head coach Buzz Williams.

Standing 6'5”, with a 6' 8.5” wingspan, the versatile guard has done a nice job of maximizing his frame, as he looks more mature from a physical standpoint, which translated well to actual gameplay. His slightly improved frame mostly showed up on the defensive end, as he regularly sat down in a stance, used his body and feet to keep the ball contained, and came up with a couple of on ball steals while defending multiple positions.

In addition to his improved defense (an area where he hasn't been all that tough in the past), what stands out most about Alexander-Walker is his tremendous ambidexterity in everything he does. Not only can Alexander-Walker handle, pass and finish with both hands, he also regularly took left-handed jumpers (shoots righty in live action) with a high success rate during fairly intense drill work.

While more smooth than explosive, he uses his size and ability to drive either direction to get into the paint and his length and touch to finish craftily around length. Alexander-Walker also showed his value as a distributor. While he's not quite a pure point guard, especially with his struggles turning the corner against elite defenders, Alexander-Walker shows impressive vision while on the move and is a very willing passer to boot.

As a shooter, however, he still has some strides to make. He's far from a non-shooter, but Alexander-Walker doesn't have the quickest release and isn't all that adept at creating space off the bounce. Becoming a more consistent threat from the perimeter should open up the rest of his game and allow Alexander-Walker to fully utilize his fluidity, playmaking ability and crafty around the rim.

Continuing to play with toughness and confidence will be big for Alexander-Walker moving forward, and he'll likely have to in order to stay on the court for Buzz Williams. As 6' 5” versatile guards with length and skill don't grow on trees, Alexander-Walker is certainly worth tracking while at Virginia Tech and beyond.

BioSteel All Canadian High School Basketball Game Scouting Reports

Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
Apr 13, 2016, 03:54 pm
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 6-5 PG/SG, Toronto, 1998

Strengths
-Very good size and length for a guard prospect – 6' 5” with a 6' 8.5” wingspan.
-Completely ambidextrous. Doesn't do it in games but is capable of shooting jumpers with either hand. Passes and finishes with both hands.
-Fluid athlete.
-Plays with a level of creativity. Makes an effort to change speeds and directions. Uses spin moves. Fairly instinctual scorer.
-Impressive vision. Able to thread the needle to cutters in traffic. Can play pick and roll. Uses his size to pass over the top. Unselfish player.
-Has some craft around the rim. Attempts scoop layups.
-Slow getting into his jumper but gets solid rotation. Has some touch from the perimeter. Can make a hesitation pull up.
-Has potential defensively thanks to his tools. Good instincts.

Weaknesses
-Light at 180 pounds. Average frame.
-Lacks a degree of toughness. Doesn't like contact on either end of the floor. Gets caught on screens. Opponents go right at him. Not always strong with the ball offensively. Could stand to play with more edge. Can be a bit emotional. Sat out of some drills.
-More smooth than explosive. Doesn't always turn the corner or get up around the rim.
-Still more of a combo guard than point guard right now.
-Fairly slow release on his jumper. Gets pull ups blocked. Can do a better job of creating space and getting into his jumper more quickly.

Outlook Alexander-Walker struggled in the BioSteel Game but it was easy to see his talent in a practice setting. His combination of tools, ambidexterity, feel and shooting potential make him an intriguing long-term prospect. He'll have to toughen up, make the transition from combo guard to point guard, and become a more consistent shooter to reach his full potential and eventually develop into a legitimate NBA Draft prospect.

adidas Nations Scouting Reports: Point Guards

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mike Schmitz
Mike Schmitz
Aug 10, 2015, 06:19 pm
Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Great size for a guard at 6-5
-Long arms and big hands
-Very interesting frame that will fill out nicely in time
-Smooth and fluid athlete. Operates at different speeds. Pushes ball nicely in transition
-Excellent footwork on drives. Shows great potential on the pick and roll.
-Creative and intelligent player. Finds teammates unselfishly
-Can make catch and shoot jumpers
-Makes shots off the dribble
-Ambidextrous. Uses both hands to shoot and finish
-Good potential defensively with his size, length and feel. Needs to harness that

Weaknesses:
-Lacks strength in a major way (normal for his age), which affects him significantly as a driver, defender and finisher. Lower body in particular needs work
-Tends to settle for pull-up jumpers and floaters instead of attacking the rim. Lacks a degree of toughness/aggressiveness? More smooth than explosive. Sub-50% 2P% everywhere he's been
-Advanced ball-handling skills are still a work in progress. Dribble is a bit high, which hampers him from getting all the way to the rim in traffic
-Doesn't get to the free throw line at a high rate
-Doesn't always shoot the ball the same way every time. Sometimes shoots with a very ugly looking two handed release with his elbow splaying out. Has a long way to go to improve his consistency as a shooter
-Still figuring out if he's a PG or a SG. May grow still and develop into a tall and versatile wing. Posted a 1/1 assist to turnover ratio in Under Armour U16 competition
-Can get overpowered defensively

Outlook: Young and raw combo guard with the framework of a very interesting game. Has a fairly advanced feel for the game for a 16-year old. Not getting a great deal of love from the recruiting services at the moment, but had some very impressive moments at the Adidas Nations. Has yet to play for any Canadian national team.

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