Carmelo Anthony singles out Meleek Thomas as the most impressive rookie at Summer League

During his only season in college, Meleek Thomas was an impressive scorer with 15.6 points per game. Of course, he was overshadowed by Darius Acuff Jr., his backcourt partner who ended up being a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Unfortunately for Thomas, he did not have the same experience because he fell all the way down to the second round. Thomas was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 34th overall pick, which is turning out to be one of the biggest steals of the draft, especially after Thomas' impressive showing at NBA Summer League, where he caught a lot of people's attention.

Carmelo Anthony loved what he saw from Meleek Thomas at Summer League

Across four Summer League games for the Cavaliers, Thomas became a member of the All-Summer League First Team alongside the likes of fellow rookies Caleb Wilson, Cameron Boozer, Brayden Burries, and Yaxel Lendeborg. 

In fact, Thomas was the leading scorer in Las Vegas, as he averaged 27.3 points per game to go along with a decent 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and two steals per game. Considering he was a second-round pick, standing alongside all those lottery picks was impressive for a 19-year-old guard.

MORE: Meleek Thomas could have potential to become a Cavaliers star

Carmelo Anthony, one of the league's greatest scorers, was impressed with what he saw from Thomas. That is a huge achievement for Melo because Thomas proved that he not only belonged in the NBA, but he should have been selected higher. Thankfully for Cavs fans, they can enjoy Thomas playing alongside the likes of Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.

"When I get there, I’mma show you why I wanted this so bad. So, he came out up against the wall, up against the eight-ball, drafted second round. Could have been a top 20 pick. Up against the eight-ball, drafted second round. Now, you get an opportunity to play in the Summer League against all these guys that went before you. And he’s showing up," Anthony said about Thomas on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast.

Getting that kind of love from a certified legend like Melo is huge for a 19-year-old rookie like Thomas. He has a bright future ahead of him, and thankfully, he is in a position with the Cavaliers where he can be part of a competitive team.

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• Meleek Thomas is already making a name for himself at NBA Summer League
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