Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Predicts 2025-26 Most Improved Player Winner
Cousins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have enjoyed breakout individual seasons in opposite conferences. Both players have emerged as focal points for their teams.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s surge
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has again put himself in MVP conversation. He continues to score at a 30-point clip and leads Oklahoma City. The Thunder clinched the top seed after a 128-110 win over the LA Clippers.
Gilgeous-Alexander praised his cousin’s rise after a recent meeting between the franchises. He spoke about shared paths and persistence. He said he is proud of how Alexander-Walker seized his opportunity.
Alexander-Walker’s career season in Atlanta
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is in the first year of a four-year, $62 million deal. He has outperformed that contract this season. The 27-year-old has transformed from a role player into a primary option.
He is averaging 20.9 points on 45.8 percent shooting. He also posts 3.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds. Those are career-best numbers compared to a previous six-season average of 8.6 points across four teams.
Shooter and momentum
Alexander-Walker has become a reliable perimeter threat. He is shooting 39.9 percent from three on 8.1 attempts per game. That uptick accounts for much of his scoring jump.
Atlanta has gone 15-4 since Mar. 1. The Hawks now sit firmly in the playoff race. The offense looks cohesive with Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson leading the charge.
Most Improved Player discussion
Alexander-Walker is the heavy favorite for the Most Improved Player award. His statistical leap and role expansion fit the profile. Many observers and oddsmakers have moved to back him.
On social media and in interviews, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Predicts 2025-26 Most Improved Player Winner when he urged voters to support his cousin. Gilgeous-Alexander noted that Alexander-Walker stuck with the grind and earned this chance.
Background and context
Alexander-Walker’s turnaround traces in part to last year’s playoff run. He contributed to the Minnesota Timberwolves’ trip to the Western Conference Finals. That exposure helped him secure the sizable contract he now justifies.
Gilgeous-Alexander contrasted their journeys. He pointed out that a trade gave him immediate freedom to shape his role. Alexander-Walker did not get that same early opportunity. Now, he is making the most of it.
For coverage and analysis, Filmogaz.com will continue to monitor both players as the postseason picture crystallizes. Voter conversations and on-court performances will decide award outcomes.
