meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Old Man and the Three

Nickeil Alexander-Walker & CJ McCollum Explain Why the Hawks Got So Hot

The Old Man and the Three

ThreeFourTwo Productions | Wondery

Sports

4.83K Ratings

🗓️ 10 April 2026

⏱️ 62 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On this week’s episode of ‘The Young Man and Three,’ we welcome Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum of the streaking Atlanta Hawks! 

The duo gets into so much, including why the Hawks got so hot post-trade deadline and why they enjoy playing for head coach Quin Snyder. They also get into a lot of Nickeil’s background and growing up with his cousin Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and when Nickeil knew SGA was special. Nickeil also shares his journey of being traded multiple times in the NBA, his time on the Pelicans, Jazz, and Wolves, and what has led to his impressive scoring jump this year. So much more fascinating basketball discussion in this episode as well. Let’s go!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Before we get into it, a quick shout-out to today's sponsor, Spindrift Sparkling Water.

0:04.2

Spin Drift is the only sparkling water in America made with real squeezed fruit,

0:08.0

and the difference is immediately obvious the second you crack one open.

0:11.5

Real taste, simple ingredients, nothing to decode on the label.

0:15.6

Find your flavor at drinkspindrift.com.

0:27.5

Welcome back to The Young Man in the Three,

0:30.2

as always presented by 3-4-2 productions and our friends at Amazon Wondery Media.

0:32.7

Today's episode is a very special episode

0:34.9

with two members of the Atlanta Hawks.

0:37.3

Nikiel Alexander Walker, his first time on the young man in the three, arguably the front

0:43.5

runner for most improved player this year having an unbelievable season. An old friend of the show,

0:49.0

C.J. McCollum, new Atlanta Hawk, but old friend of the show C.J. McCollum, who was traded to

0:53.9

the Hawks at the

0:54.5

deadline and has been tearing it up. We get into all things. Playoffs, Nekeel's background,

1:00.4

Toronto, everything that's been going right for the Hawks so far. Really fun combo. These guys

1:04.8

have a lot in common. You guys are going to really enjoy this episode. Without further ado,

1:09.7

here is Nikiel Alexander Walker

1:11.1

and C.J. McCullough. We got a lot of positive stuff to talk about. I didn't realize, though,

1:21.7

I was just doing a little research for this ahead of the taping. I forgot you guys were traded for each

1:25.5

other. Yeah, we were. Yeah. Back in the day. Were you cool at that point? Like, did you know each other at all? We, like, knew of each other. I had watched him from afar. I think, I'm sure he had, he had seen me from afar and had a lot of respect for him in his game. I actually met his mom. A couple days after we got traded for

1:45.0

each other in New Orleans, I was at Bolini Tavern. And I was talking to your mom at Bellini Tavern. I was like, look, he's going to be fine. I was like, he works hard. He does things the right way. I had obviously heard these things about you. I was like, it took me some years to be able to play figured out but I was like once he figures it out like you're not even going to remember these days

2:02.5

trust me she just looked at me I was like, it took me some years to be able to play and figure it out, but I was like, once he figures it out, like, you're not even going to remember these days.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from ThreeFourTwo Productions | Wondery, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of ThreeFourTwo Productions | Wondery and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.