Meleek Thomas has looked sharp during his time with the Cavaliers. It was a bit surprising that he fell to the second-round of the draft, and it was Cleveland’s gain. They traded out of the opening round, opting to make a pick on day two, and look how well it panned out.
Thomas was All-Vegas first team during the NBA Summer League, the only non-lottery pick to earn such honors. He scored it at will. He dropped some dimes. Got into the passing lanes early and often.
And then of course in a reserve role in the preseason, Thomas continued to play well. He didn’t shoot it as well, but his confidence remained. He had 11 deflections in his first appearance, and showed the same type of enthusiasm and energy on the floor.
Might he find his way onto the court during opening night on Thursday? Let’s discuss.
A Dynamic Scorer
Craig Porter Jr. is a very versatile guard, and nobody is questioning that. He is arguably the second or third-best passer on the team and has earned the right to get out there. But one thing he’s not doing, that Meleek Thomas is, would be creating his own shot.
Thomas has proven to have an ability to put the ball in the bucket at a rate that even Tyrese Proctor struggles to keep up with. From the paint out to the three-point line, he can put it in from anywhere. Even as the #2 guard next to lottery-pick Darus Acuff, he played fantastic basketball during his season with Arkansas.
Thomas has been enjoying his time in Cleveland, quite clearly. He got his braces off over the weekend, and showed off his singing “abilities” during the team’s Wine & Gold Scrimmage. A player that is clearly happy in his situation, the 20-year-old can prove it on the floor.
Thomas could be a good matchup against Philadelphia.
Getting His Hands Into The Passing Lane
Meleek Thomas is somebody that is quick on defense. He comes up with a lot of steals while not giving up his position by trying to make the plays. Similarly to how Sam Merrill leads in charges drawn, the former Razorback is somebody that will possibly lead in deflections.
He’s still got a lot to learn about the NBA game, but the kind of defense Thomas has shown is certainly enough to merit him getting a chance to play. Due to injuries a season ago, Tyrese Proctor did actually log opening night minutes. The same could happen for a second-round rookie for a second consecutive campaign,
Thomas is just everywhere when he plays, and bringing some nice size to the guard spot, it’s hard to deny how valuable is .
Don’t be surprised of Thomas gets on the court on opening night as the team seeks a spark.
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