On Tuesday afternoon, yes, Tuesday afternoon, the 2026-27 NBA season began with the first of three games between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. There were no former members of the Virginia Tech men's basketball program involved in that game of the other two games on Tuesday night for the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, or Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, on Wednesday night, when the schedule picks up in full, two former Hokies players will be making their season debut for two different teams.
Two former Virginia Tech men's basketball players begin the 2026-27 NBA season on Wednesday night
When the ball is tossed up in the air on Wednesday night, Nickeil Alexander-Walker will begin another season with the Atlanta Hawks when they head to Florida to visit the Orlando Magic. About 90 minutes later, when the Dallas Mavericks visit their in-state rivals, the Houston Rockets, Tobi Lawal will be looking to make his NBA debut for first-year coach Dusty May.
Different jerseys. Same Hokie DNA. 🦃🏀
— Virginia Tech Men's Basketball (@HokiesMBB) October 21, 2026
Wishing Tobi and NAW the best as a new NBA season gets underway! pic.twitter.com/KCVQ86zpQC
Alexander-Walker is coming off a great first season with Atlanta, where he was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for the 2025-26 season back in April. He averaged a career-high 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. Just how good was he this season? He had career highs in blocks, field goal percentage (45.9%), and 3-point field goal percentage (39.9%) while averaging a career-high 33.4 minutes per game. He doubled his points-per-game average this season after 9.4 in a bench role with Minnesota.
The Hawks grabbed a 2-1 first-round series lead on the Knicks last spring in the playoffs, but were unable to finish them off as New York rallied to win that series and then went on to win the NBA championship two months later. The Hawks are loaded and ready for another run back into the Eastern Conference playoffs this season.
As for Lawal, he had a frustrating final season in 2025-26 in Blacksburg as he missed a lot of time from Thanksgiving to February with an injury. When he came back, he wasn't the same player he was before the setback, but that didn't stop the Mavericks from selecting him in the second round of last June's Draft, 48th overall. He went one pick after the Knicks selected former Hokies sharpshooter Tyler Nickel with the 47th overall pick.
Lawal is a raw player, but one who, if he gets caught up in the style of the NBA, could be a weapon for May off the bench. His athleticism is through the roof and he has the ability to alter shots on the defensive end, as well as rebounding with the best of them in the NBA.
It'll be interesting to see how Lawal's first pro season goes as Alexander-Walker is someone who took full advantage of being traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Hawks and earned hardware last season. Atlanta is looking to get back to the playoffs, while Dallas is looking to return after missing it the last couple of seasons since losing to Boston in the NBA Finals in 2024.
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