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Nickeil Alexander-Walker Issues Blunt Warning to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander After Game 4

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Trevor Squire | Last updated May 27, 2025 1:34 PM ET

The family ties between Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have been reported ad nauseam throughout the Western Conference Finals.

Baby photos have been featured on national broadcasts throughout the past week. And whenever they match up on the floor, it must be mentioned.

We get it. They're cousins.

Yet, the narrative cropped up again in postgame news conferences after a heartbreaking 128-126 Timberwolves loss on Monday.

Alexander-Walker, who may have played in his final game at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., did not feed into the cozy family ties anymore, offering a blunt message relating to his cousin.

Asked if he looks forward to discussions about competing in the conference finals against Gilgeous-Alexander, Alexander-Walker, coming off arguably his best performance of the postseason, went cold.

"Only if I win... to be honest," Alexander-Walker said.

Q: "Do you look forward to maybe the discussions you guys NAW & SGA) may have after this series is over about what it was like to go up against each other?

NAW: "Only if I win... to be honest" pic.twitter.com/MzNmZfziNC
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) May 27, 2025

Alexander-Walker led the Timberwolves with 23 points in the loss, shooting 9 of 15 overall (5 of 8 from 3-point range) and added 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a game-high 40 points. He shot 13-for-30 from the field along with a 12-for-14 performance at the free-throw line. He impacted the game in numerous ways, nearly notching a triple-double with 10 assists and 9 rebounds.

The Timberwolves are facing an elimination Game 5 on the road on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Thunder are a game away from clinching their first berth in the NBA Finals since 2012.

In the final year of his contract, Alexander-Walker could be playing in his final game with the Wolves.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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