Who is Meleek Thomas, the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2nd-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft?

The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas in the second round of the 2026 NBA draft on Wednesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

He heard his name called at No. 34 overall, the fourth pick of the second round. The Sacramento Kings previously owned the pick but reportedly traded it to the Cavs. Here is what to know about Thomas. 

Who is Meleek Thomas?

Thomas was born in Pittsburgh and attended Lincoln Park Performing Arts in Beaver County before transferring to Overtime Elite for his senior prep season. Overtime Elite is a professional basketball league in Atlanta that draws interest from some of the best high school basketball recruits each year. 

Thomas, who scored 1,750 points in three years at Lincoln Park, was a five-star recruit and a McDonald's All-American for the class of 2025. He was the 11th-best recruit, according to ESPN. 

Where did Meleek Thomas go to college? 

Thomas committed to Arkansas over Pitt and Connecticut. As a freshman, he played in all 37 games, including 21 starts. The 6-foot-3, 189-pound guard scored 15.6 points per game as a Razorback. Thomas was named to the Southeastern Conference's All-Freshman team.  

After going through the pre-draft process, Thomas elected to stay rather than return to Arkansas for the 2026-27 season. The 19-year-old was mocked as a late first-round, early second-round selection. He was regarded as one of the best shooters in the draft.

Meleek Thomas draft grade

CBS Sports gave the pick an A-, saying Thomas is a "microwave scoring guard and tough shot-maker who needs to prove he can be efficient and solid and reliable enough defensively to hold his own, but his high upside is significant."

Meleek Thomas combine numbers

Thomas, whose brother played Division I college basketball, has a 6-foot-6 wingspan and a standing reach of 8 feet, 4 inches.