Atlanta Hawks’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker July 8, 2025 Media Availability

Atlanta Hawks’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker July 8, 2025 Media Availability

in Atlanta. Yeah, funny enough, she uh one I used all last season was from Atlanta, so it just worked out. Yeah. Um how’s the I know it’s been such a short time, but how’s the transition been for you coming from Minnesota to to here? Honestly, I would say it’s been seamless. Uh just having everyone in this entire organization welcoming with open arms. It’s been smooth just getting to things and trying to figure out the next steps and just I think the fact that nothing feels forced, nothing feels rushed. So, I think that transition just makes life a lot easier as well, just for me, for my family, being able to come to Atlanta as a city, and figure out game plans for how we’re going to approach, you know, finding a house, working out, meeting everybody. I think everyone, everything has been well thought out and well planned, and it’s really easy. To that point, Anie mentioned, you know, you were kind of a free agent target pretty early on for the team because you mentioned the process being something that’s a year-long process for them to identify you as somebody that they saw as a fit. What does that say about, you know, how they view you and and what you can provide this roster? It feels good because I when I look back at them season, I was like, man, I never really played great against Atlanta, you know? So you always wonder like what teams have that perception of you and what they’re really thinking of you, but obviously it’s 82 game season, so you know that means they watched more than just those two games. And it feels great, honestly, especially having the fit that I have. What also is more comforting is the stand that I played for for Quinn. I guess it didn’t really keep a lingering perception of who I was then. Not that I was a bad player, but just the fact that I’ve been able to grow and that around the league, people have been able to see that you get so I would say closed off and narrowed in on just what you’re doing and the team you’re on. And for me at least, just what’s going on and you kind of almost forget about the business side. And sometimes each night is an audition for other teams. And I think this year being a free agent for the like unrestricted free agent for the first time really showed me that. You mentioned um playing against the Hawks. Just wondering what was your view of the Hawks like and just the team in general before you came here? Just knowing the team is aggressive to score offensively and teams that are going to play fast and honestly with a with a pace and body movement, player movement, the ball moves as well. for me is like a focus to like really have to guard um in respects to Trey and the type of player he is knowing that at any given moment he will shoot the ball and like for me and my size trying to get up on up into him make sure that he’s not as effective and out of rhythm is a lot tougher his handle his ability to shoot and that the fact that he’s a willing passer I think so I I think I’ve always felt like they were a good team. It was just tough to guard in a sense, but offensively felt like there’s there’s openings for me to to be aggressive and to help the team I was playing with at the time. You mentioned Trey. What have your conversations been like with Trey so far? So far, it’s been smooth. He was the first person to ever reach out to me and I appreciated that. Just being in my position, having the franchise player reach out to you and and express to you the value that he can see um meant a lot. But it also just as a as a human really chill guy and I could I respect him a lot especially because it takes a certain level of humility to do that and some guys have pride and like ah like they see it as like oh it’s a privilege to play with me type thing and I think that he really showed that he’s a he’s a team guy. You’re part of an organization that made a bunch of different offseason moves obviously including yourself. How exciting is it to be a part of a group like this right now? Honestly, it’s very exciting. It’s very, very exciting. And sometimes as I’m going through this process now, it’s starting to really set in and starting to feel more and more real. But all in all, it makes me more and more engaged and which is which is a even better thing I would say for myself just being able to process what it is that they’re trying to do as well as myself and for me going into this entire process. I want to be able to still have that impact to win and compete. And I feel like here is a great opportunity. U we’ve talked about it last season felt like didn’t really truly depict the team that the Hawks were injuries and so so forth I think I want to say maybe going into Allstar or before that they were doing really really well and those injuries kind of hurt them but I felt like that was a team that had a lot of potential especially with the staff the players Jaylen Trey Dre before he got traded V is from when he was with us in training camp or when it with Minnesota in training camp. Uh he he u impressed me as well. So I definitely feel like this team has just a lot of versatility and adding KP and adding Luke and I’m just happy that so far everyone I’ve met has been good people as well. When you talk about defense, specifically perimeter defense, obviously the Hawks have one of the premier premier uh perimeter defenders in Dyson. Have you been able to speak to him yet? And what’s what do you think it’s like to be able to pair with a guy like him, you know, and you coming here and you all having the pairing of being able to lock down defensively, especially on the perimeter? Funny enough, I actually ran into Dyson in LA before I talked with any teams or anything. And we were just getting I was just getting food in line. He came up to me and I was surprised like I didn’t I was on my phone texting and to me it was like that was really cool of him because we haven’t really gotten a chance to ever really speak like that. So for him to just come up to me, say what’s up, just type show the type of person that he is like off the court for one and then on the court really have a lot of respect for the way he’s been able to kind of and like for like me coming from New Orleans and go through a little bit of struggle and then turn it around and then find it defensively is inspiring in a sense because that’s I feel like we walk the same path so to speak and I definitely have that understanding of him as a player. there and I’m excited. Honestly, I love I love defending now and I know that he’s somebody that I can learn from especially with how he’s able to read passing lanes. Seems like he’s everywhere that period where he’s having like seven steals, five steals, like video game numbers defensively. And and that’s something that I I can really add to to my game. And I feel like having two pieces like that and that texting when when he when he welcomed me like just excited to to get on the court and to defend and to cause havoc. That’s like a tandem. I was going to ask about Dyson and just the trajectory he had last season. You know, coming in being known for his defense, but then kind of fitting into the system that Quinn has has sort of built. How do you see Quinn’s system maybe helping you unlock some of your offensive tools? I think the fact that he wants everyone to be aggressive and it’s organized chaos and it’s freedom but at the same time everyone’s playing with each other. You know, you look at teams that have been successful especially last year that last season with Pacers and and defender. Those are teams that everybody’s alive, everybody’s aggressive. I think Quinn is a a basketball mind and I you see his gears turn when he thinks the game, when he talks about the game, the passion that he has towards it, which is exciting for me because I want to get better. I want to improve and offensively and defensively. And I feel like he has set that runway for me to really try to take off and to grow as a player. He’s openly said, “I’m going to challenge you to do things that you you didn’t do, and you’re going to have to get comfortable with that.” And I feel like just small things like that are is what’s going to allow me to really grow because I’m stepping outside of that comfort zone. Does it feel like you have a head start because you have that previous relationship, you understand the the terminology and that sort of thing, so you can make an impact maybe faster with this team? Terminology speaking, yes. It’s very much different from any other NBA team and I feel like everyone kind of knows that. And so terminology wise I I definitely do. I think from what I’ve seen it’s not much different. It’s just getting more accustomed and reaclimated with with the groove of it, the concepts, thinking about it, trying to breathe it, live it. so that it just becomes natural. Minnesota fans really embraced you and just appreciated your effort. What was it like for you to to join that fan base and and join that team and have that fan base kind of support you that way they did? It felt great and honestly felt like that move to Minnesota really changed the trajectory of my entire life and my career. I feel really really really grateful to have been there for the organization and the fans to really just embrace me like that the way they did prior to that and being able to play like 82 games in two seasons in a row. For me, it was a lot of DMPS. And so, just to have that opportunity to go out there and play every night. And for me, it was just about like giving the game all I had. And like they seen that, they appreciated me for that. And I appreciate them for backing me. What sort of lent that durability to your game and your ability to be available? Like how did what did you do to sort of prepare yourself for that? I think the approach I just took to like taking care of my body and more so just for me started with how can I improve and and it didn’t really start off as like I want to play 82 games. That was never a goal for me. I think that was just more like a well you have to in a sense because for me I just didn’t really play like that. So anytime I can get a chance to go out there and play, I was going to take that opportunity and knowing like what it feels like to want to be out there and just just not. So for me, taking care of my body, lifting, different things that my trainer Nem has come up with, just feet exercises, ankle exercises, small things like that. So I have a good solid foundation to protect my body. What do you appreciate about ‘s vision for this franchise. Honestly, the optimism and the belief in the faith outside of a vision and for myself being Christian, you understand that like nothing really moves without faith and just the fact that he could he could believe in everybody and give us all the space. As if you look around like there’s the environment here and the renovations being done. They’re really pouring into making this place a space for work where everyone’s going to get better, where everyone’s going to grow, where this team and the players that we’re putting together can assemble and and really form like what he what he sees and a playoff contending title contender. both you and Kristophs had that experience of playing in the playoffs. I mean, how do you hope you can kind of pour into the younger guys who may not necessarily have that experience yet? Honestly, it’s kind of surreal because I never thought I’d be like that vet guy with all this playoff experience, you know, especially with just kind of how things started. But honestly, it’s just one thing I’ve learned is just be trying to be a great teammate. How can I like dive in and being close with everybody? And the camaraderie is very important. It’s what holds you up that long into the season. You know, it’s training your body, being tired, mentally tired, the schemes, and coming back and like the emotions that can also come with a playoff series. being able to handle that. I think like it’s made me more mature, but also just being able to lead by example and just how hard I play and things that I see and always trying to talk and communicate without being annoying as best as possible is really important. And honestly, these guys are are great players and last season they had a a good chance to do what they really wanted to do is just injury. So, not overstepping either, you know, just kind of throwing in my two cents wherever I see fit. Thank you. Thank you.