Cleveland Cavaliers second-round rookie Meleek Thomas heard what his college coach, John Calipari, had to say about teams missing the mark with him in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Arkansas standout has a strong opinion about dropping to the 34th overall, too, but his eyes are forward as he continues to carve up the competition in front of him at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
“Coach Cal’s very direct,” Thomas told a handful of reporters after Cleveland’s first summer league win over the Miami Heat. “Whatever Coach Cal says, he means it a thousand times more. I respect every opinion Coach Cal has. Hearing Coach Cal say it, it’s just like the cherry on top.”
Through three games in the competition, Thomas has scored 85 points to set a new rookie record for that span in the history of the event, surpassing Damian Lillard, Jerryd Bayless, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker by two points. Cam Thomas (72) and John Wall (63) are also on that list, according to Jonathan Wasserman.
“I’m gifted offensively,” Thomas said. “It’s kinda hard to stop me when I get going. I would just say I’m taking what the defense gives me and just playing my game. Things are opening up from there.”
“It’s crazy,” Cleveland second-year summer swingman Jaxson Robinson added. “He’s unbelievably talented. I mean, it’s crazy to see somebody that young come in here so poised and figure the game out so quickly. Obviously, he’s just been getting better and better each game, so I’m excited to see what his future holds.”
Longtime Cavs assistant and summer coach Andrew Olson is captivated by Thomas’ drive and approach, already considering him ready-made for this level.
“I’ve been impressed watching film with him with the reads, but the willingness to be coached,” Olson said. “He wants to be coached. We show him something, he says, ‘Show me more.’ There’s just that desire.
“You don’t meet many 19-year-olds like that, let alone 20, 21-year-olds. He seems like a pro already. Wherever that came from, we’re happy it’s in Cleveland.”
Meleek Thomas is doing it all for the Cavs
“It’s surreal before you get here, and when you get here, it’s like, I’m really here. I just want to do my best.”
Meleek Thomas is showing out for the #Cavs at NBA Summer League with back-to-back 30-point games, but his commitment on the other end is standing out too. pic.twitter.com/KiBV84Jgf3
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) July 14, 2026
Thomas is averaging 28.3 points, 4.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game, knocking down half of a whopping 62 field-goal attempts. He’s nailed 11 of his 19 tries from long range, gotten to his spots around the nail, and put plenty of pressure on the rim.
“He can score at all levels,” Olson said. “He can get downhill, get all the way to the rim. He has a floater, jumper. You shoot the three the way he does, your point total’s gonna go up quite a bit.”
Whether it’s for his teammates or himself, his creation skills have been impressive, too. Olson feels that Thomas’ size to pass over defenders complements his vision, and the 19-year-old’s commitment to guarding pops off the tape as well.
Twice in the second half, Thomas made timely stops and momentum-shifting plays. One was a block underneath the basket in a zone, and the other was a clean strip and easy lay-in underneath Cleveland’s own hoop after a turnover.
“He enjoys defense,” Olson said. “On-ball defense, he’s ahead of maybe some of his off-ball stuff, but you saw it there with that. We talked with the team, having our low man there early, and he happened to be the low man there, and he’s there making plays.”
“That’s the main way I’m going to get on the floor and stay on the floor,” Thomas said. “If you can’t guard, if you can’t play defense, you really can’t do what you want to on offense. If you play defense and you guard, then you get some freedom on offense. So, you’ve got to be able to guard, you’ve got to be able to be there for your teammates. Be as present as you are on offense. I love when other players don’t get to be who they want to be on offense, and it’s because of you.”
Though Thomas is still soaking all of this in, he had high expectations for himself coming into Las Vegas. Admittedly, he thought of dominating once he got settled in with the Cavs’ organization after the draft.
“I wanted to win games, but I knew my individual performance was gonna be how it is,” Thomas said. “Aside from playing games and performing well, just a blessing to be here. I always thought of being here, and now I’m here.
“It’s surreal before you get here, and then you get here, and it’s like, I’m really here. I just want to do my best.”
Cleveland Cavaliers second-round rookie Meleek Thomas heard what his college coach, John Calipari, had to say about teams missing the mark with him in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Arkansas standout has a strong opinion about dropping to the 34th overall, too, but his eyes are forward as he continues to carve up the competition in front of him at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
