Canada's Nickeil Alexander-Walker named NBA's most improved player after huge scoring jump

Nickeil Alexander-Walker was voted the NBA's most improved player on Friday, beating out finalists Deni Avdija and Jalen Duren to become the second Hawks player to win the award in two years.

It was, by far, the best statistical season of Alexander-Walker's career after Dyson Daniels won the trophy last season.

"I'm glad I love this game so much," Alexander-Walker, a Toronto native, said. "I don't know where I'd be without it. Glad that I had people who believed in me when I didn't, and when they say it takes a village, I used every single person in mine."

He scored a career-best 20.8 points per game, more than doubling his average from his first six pro seasons. He shot a career-best 46 per cent and averaged more assists (3.7), rebounds (3.4) and steals (1.3) than ever before.

Part of the rise in numbers was in part to a rise in minutes; he logged 2,603 this season, 530 more than his previous career best. That said, he earned those minutes -- the 251 3-pointers, 277 free throws made, 40 per cent clip from 3-point range and 90 per cent clip from the foul line all were his best.

In the first year of a four-year, $62-million US contract with Atlanta, Alexander-Walker started the season as a sixth man and moved into the starting lineup early with Trae Young dealing with a knee injury. His status as a full-time starter was solidified after a January trade sent Young to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

Alexander-Walker's win adds to the award haul for his family; his cousin is Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP and a finalist for MVP honours again this season.

"When you're Shai's cousin, a lot of times you get referred to as Shai's cousin," Alexander-Walker said. "Being recognized