Former New Orleans Pelicans Wing Has Excelled at One Unique Skill

A former New Orleans Pelicans wing has weaponized a move normally reserved for big men, becoming adept at a unique skill.

Dec 11, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) dribbles against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) during the second half at the Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

With the No. 17 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans came away with guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

The Virginia Tech product was steadily improving early in his career with the Pelicans, becoming a reliable part of the team’s rotation. He possesses the size and skill to be a microwave scorer offensively while being a pest defensviely.

Before he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the CJ McCollum blockbuster, he was averaging a career-high 12 points through the first 50 games of Year 3 as a pro.

Alexander-Walker hasn’t gotten close to that scoring output in the seasons since, as that stretch in New Orleans was the last time he averaged double-digit points. However, he has turned himself into a valuable rotation piece.

A reason that the Minnesota Timberwolves found the success that they did last season was his presence in the rotation. He appeared in all 82 regular season games, providing a consistent spark off the bench for Chris Finch.

His improved efficiency has been nice to see, but what keeps him in the team’s rotation is his performance on the defensive end of the court.

Standing 6’5” with a nearly 6’10” wingspan, he can defend multiple positions as he is athletic enough to stick with guards and is long enough to handle most assignments on the wing.

Playing defense in the NBA is no easy task, as players seek whatever edge they can find. Alexander-Walker has found a unique one to help uniquely stall opponents’ possessions.

As shared by Mike Shearer over at HoopsHype, the the versatile wing has become a kicked ball maestro, a tactic normally only big men deploy successfully.

“But Alexander-Walker is the rare wing who weaponizes the kicked ball, too. His 15 such violations last year ranked fifth in the league (and first among non-centers), and although he had a smaller role in the previous years, he usually ranked near the top on a per-minute basis,” Shearer wrote.

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic led the league with 47 kickball violations last season, which is the most since stat tracking data began in the NBA. Nikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat are regularly near the top of this statistic as well.

That isn’t a move that will be popping up in box scores any time soon or most fans will take notice of. But, there is a strategy to using it, as the only penalty is the team retains possession and the shot clock resets to 14.

Not a bad outcome if it means stopping an entry pass to the interior for a dunk or layup for two easy points.