BROOKLYN – Arkansas freshman shooting guard Meleek Thomas is the second of three Razorbacks off the board in the 2026 NBA Draft Tuesday night when he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 4 pick of the second round.
He went into the Wednesday night projected as mid-to-late first round selection but slipped a few spots despite a solid freshman season where he blossomed into a true three level scoring threat and valuable defensive piece to coach John Calipari’s lineup.
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“The emotions tonight, all the had work paid off,” Thomas told ESPN. “The sacrafices, dedictation everything my parents and siblings did for me, is just built into one big emotion. Now, it’s time to get to work.
Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari talks with guard Meleek Thomas (1) against the Mississippi Rebels during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
As a freshman, Thomas started his career coming off the bench before solidifying himself in a starting role for the final 19 games of the season.
He averaged 16 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals in 31 minutes per game while making 44% from the field, 42% from three and 84% at the free throw line.
Known as a high volume shot taker coming out of Overtime Elite in downtown Atlanta, his efficiency on the floor improved under Calipari.
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He shows off a smooth shooting motion, the ability to create off the bounce, and is often at his best playing off the ball to create space on the floor while attacking closeouts.
His best performance came in the season finale at Missouri where he led a Acuff-less Razorback team to an 88-84 overtime victory by scoring 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting and drilled 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
He elevated his game across Arkansas’ final eight games of the season by averaging 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals while emerging as one of the SEC’s most dangerous perimeter scorers.
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Thomas connected on 38-of-78 (49%) three-point attempts during SEC play, six made threes against on the road at Alabama in a 117-115 double-overtime loss.
What Scouts Like
NBA scouts view Thomas as a modern combo guard who is capable of creating his own shot, defending multiple positions and providing instant offense off the bench.
His improved perimeter shooting, development off the dribble, and competitiveness on defense helped elevate his stock throughout the pre-draft process. He has a strong understanding of jumping passing lanes, twitchiness to stay in position and possesses enough length to alter shots.
While Thomas is knowm mostly for his scoring ability, it’s his contributions in other areas which gives Calipari optimism that he can be a big time player at the next level.
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“The biggest thing, his energy, his ability to stay in front of people and pressure the ball,” Calipari said in a post on X. “In the NBA, turning the ball when it’s in the backcourt coming up. It’s his ability to say I belong here. I have confidence. He has supreme confidence and it takes that in that league. You know where he got it from? He lives in the gym. You talk about a gym rat.
“Meleek Thomas is only going get better and better. I’m telling you, I’m excited about his future in that league.
Doorstep of Greatness
Thomas and Acuff became the latest additions to Calipari’s long list of NBA success stories. With the Kings’ selection of Acuff, the Arkansas coach has produced 45 first-round draft picks during his hall of fame career, second only to Mike Krzyzewski’s 46 among college coaches.
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As for overall selections, Krzyzewski (66) leads Calipari (64) with the most draft picks all-time.
The 2026 NBA Draft will continue with its second round Wednesday night at 7 p.m. CT from the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Razorbacks’ Guard Meleek Thomas Selected No. 34 Overall to Cleveland Cavaliers.
