Meleek Thomas wasted no time making an impression in his first taste of NBA action.
The former Arkansas guard, once considered a potential first-round pick before slipping to the Cleveland Cavaliers at 34th overall, exploded for a team-high 20 points in his 2026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League debut against the Indiana Pacers, saving his best for last with a dominant fourth-quarter surge.
Thomas started slowly, managing just six points on 1-of-3 shooting from the floor in the opening half. But the 19-year-old flipped a switch after the break, tallying 14 second-half points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter alone.
By the final buzzer, Thomas had tied for the game-high in scoring, finishing 7-of-15 from the field (46.7%) with 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal in 27 minutes. He also tied for second on the Cavaliers in rebounding and didn’t commit a single turnover in his debut.
The performance echoed the kind of production that made Thomas a name to watch during his lone season at Arkansas. In 37 games for the Razorbacks in 2025-26, he averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting 43.5% from the field and 41.6% from 3-point range.
Thomas isn’t guaranteed a consistent role in Cleveland’s rotation as a rookie, as he’s currently behind established guards Sam Merrill, Max Strus and Craig Porter on the depth chart. Summer League performances don’t always translate directly to regular-season minutes, but Thomas’ debut gives an early look at what he can bring to the Cavaliers as he works toward a spot in the rotation.