9. Nickeil Walker-Alexander, Virginia Tech
Age: 21
Height, Weight: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds
Slash Line: .478/.381/.772
Season Averages: 16.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.8 3PM
One of the ACC’s top guards, Nickeil Alexander-Walker can make his case to become a high pick in the 2019 NBA Draft with a strong NCAA Tournament showing. His Virginia Tech Hokies will face Saint Louis in the first round.
Walker-Alexander is projectable for the lottery, given his size and above-average wingspan. It gives him the necessary measurements to play off-ball in the backcourt, which is an added benefit to what he can do offensively.
The sophomore guard is a strong shooter from behind the arc, with back-to-back seasons of over 38 percent. His overall field-goal percentage even rose 30 points in 2018-19, which contributed to the positive year-over-year development for this Canadian who’s cousins with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
This may not be the future leader of an NBA offense, but he has enough skills as an outside shooter that can spot up for the point guard.
Walker-Alexander probably sits out of range from the New York Knicks, unless they conduct a trade or fall down the order. There’s still potential here for this rising talent, but he’ll probably land elsewhere than the Knicks.