This piece does not reflect the views of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

G, Sophomore, Virginia Tech

6’5, 204 lbs

College Stats in 2018-19:

34 games, 34 starts, 34.3 MPG, 16.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 47.4 FG%, 37.4 3P%, 77.8 FT%

Where he’ll go:

Alexander-Walker will be a first-round pick.

The Rundown:

Alexander-Walker might not have the potential to be a star in the NBA, but he’s the type of player you could see having a long, long career as a pro.

The sophomore out of Virginia Tech can play either point guard or shooting guard and he has the requisite skills to do both effectively. As an on-ball guard, he is a great passer who can patiently pick defenses apart in the pick and roll. He’s always aware of where his teammates are on the floor and he knows how to use his dribbling ability and size to draw multiple defenders then find open teammates.

“I feel really, really comfortable out of pick and rolls. I feel like if it’s required I have the ability and the capability to play out of pick and rolls,” Alexander-Walker said at the combine.

As an off-ball guard, Alexander-Walker is good at finding open spaces on the floor and getting himself open for catch-and-shoot looks. He’s projects to be a decent but not elite three-point shooter in the NBA.

Alexander-Walker will be able to hold his own on defense against both point guards and shooting guards. He has good height at 6’5 and his 6’9 wingspan will make him hard to get around. He averaged 1.9 steals in college—he can get to balls that opposing guards think are safe. Alexander-Walker will also be an above-average post defender for his position. His size will allow him to compete even on switches against forwards.

“I know I can guard my position. Combo guards, wings, point guards, I think I can do that well,” he said at the combine.

The knock on Alexander-Walker is that he doesn’t really have the above-the-rim athleticism that is more and more becoming a requirement to become a good NBA finisher, and he’s not much of a three-point shooter off the dribble. Those are two skills that teams are certainly looking for in a point guard. However, Alexander-Walker seems like the type of player that could grow into playing many roles for a team and who could be in the league for a long time. Especially if he falls later in the draft, he could be a real steal.

Alexander-Walker already has a great role model in the NBA—his cousin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander had a phenomenal rookie season for the Clippers, and Alexander-Walker said at the combine that he had been talking to his cousin a lot. His advice? Enjoy the moment and don’t stress too much about the outcome. That’s great advice for any player—control what you can control and let the rest take care of itself.