Getty Nickeil Alexander-Walker #4 of the Virginia Tech Hokies looks to pass in the second half during the game against the VMI Keydets.
Virginia Tech guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a bonafide NBA lottery pick. The Hokie sophomore is the centerpiece of a team that ranks No. 11 per the NET and figures to hold a decent seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
The 6-foot-6, 200-pounder has averaged 16.5 points a game on 48.2 percent shooting (including 37.6 percent from behind the arc). He also distributes the ball well, as evidenced by his 3.8 assists per contest.
Entering Friday night’s game against Miami in Blacksburg (7 p.m. EST, ESPN2), he’s reached double-digits in 14 of 17 ACC games. The last time he faced the Hurricanes, he racked up 25 points.
His production is lining him up for an early pick in this April’s NBA Draft. Let’s take a look at these prognostications:
Nickeil Alexander-Walker NBA Draft Projections & Mock Draft
The most recent mock draft from Rob Dauster of NBC Sports fits Alexander-Walker in the first round as the No. 11 pick. Dauster shows some hesitance due to some depreciating production since the loss of point guard Justin Robinson.
He’s been terrific this season, one of the most improved players in college hoops, and the skillset that he does have projects really well to the NBA — he can operate in ball-screens, he can really shoot it, he’s ambidextrous, he has the tools to defend at the one or the two. The concern, however, is that his numbers have fallen off a cliff with Justin Robinson, Virginia Tech’s point guard, out with an injury. In the six games Robinson has missed, Alexander-Walker is averaging 12.7 points and 3.3 assists while turning the ball over 4.1 times per game and shooting 33.3 percent from the floor and 32.3 percent from three.
Our own Jon Adams sends him to the Timberwolves at the No. 12 pick on his most recent NBA Mock Draft. Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype lists him as the No. 15 overall prospect on his aggregate mock draft. The highest end of that is No. 9 per NBA Draft and No. 18 per SI.com.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker NBA Draft Big Board Rankings
Aran Smith’s NBA Draft Net pegs Alexander-Walker as high as No. 6 (just behind Kentucky’s Keldon Johnson). Smith has him as the No. 2 pure shooting guard next to Duke’s R.J. Barrett.
ESPN’s Draft Board has him as the No. 3 shooting guard and No. 17 player overall. He’s called a “high floor prospect.”
His greatly increased on-ball duties have done wonders for his draft stock, as he looks much more dynamic on the move. Most importantly, he has shown the vision and ambidextrous live-dribble passing that should allow him to play on the ball some in the NBA.
He’s rarely sped up and has the physical profile NBA teams are looking for in a big guard. He’s an instinctual, competitive defender who should be able to check positions 1-3 as his impressive frame continues to fill out. Alexander-Walker is a high-floor prospect who at the very least can knock down spot 3s, think the game at a high level and defend his position.
He’s set to earn some big money in April, as most projections send him to the first round. One way to cement a lottery selection would be a deep run in March Madness in front of a national audience.