Calipari Lambasts Teams For Passing on Thomas, Former Guard Drops 30 on Pistons

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Meleek Thomas put together the best NBA Summer League performance for a rookie Razorback so far this summer on Sunday.

In the Cavaliers' 103-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon, the former UA guard dropped a game-high 30 points, dished out seven assists, grabbed four rebounds and had four steals.

Thomas shot 10-24 from the field (41.7 percent) and 4-10 from beyond the arc in his second taste of NBA action. He scored 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, on Friday in his Summer League debut.

Cleveland's 2nd-round pick, Meleek Thomas, in today's @NBASummerLeague action:

30 PTS (game-high)
4 REB
7 AST
4 STL
4 3PM pic.twitter.com/3sNonwollF
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2026

Thomas' big game came in front of Arknasas head coach John Calipari, lured Thomas to the UofA and coached the guard during his lone season in Fayetteville.

"He made all the right plays!," Calipari said of Thomas in a social media post after the game. "I am more convinced now that people are going to regret passing on him!"

How about Meleek today?? For me to get to sit with his family while he went for 30 and 7 was special. He made all the right plays! I am more convinced now that people are going to regret passing on him! pic.twitter.com/a2YxjHuz8u
— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) July 12, 2026

While Calipari appeared on the Prime Video telecast of the game, Thomas sank a three while drawing a foul. He converted the four-point play and was 3-3 from the foul line on the afternoon.

"This kid right here, people missed on him, " Calipari said as Thomas pulled up to shoot. "Don't make that! Don't do that! They missed on him."

"This kid right here, people missed on him."@CoachCalArk was hyping up Meleek Thomas for the @cavs as he got buckets 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oENQC90KQk
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) July 12, 2026

Former Kentucky guard John Wall agreed with Calipari, saying on the broadcast that Thomas should've been a first-round pick.

"I'm still mad at Cleveland, because they traded [their] first-round pick," Calipari said. "What are you doing?"

it's safe to say things are working out so far for Thomas, who has shown every bit of offensive upside at the professional level that he did in a Razorback uniform.

Two Summer League games don't serve as definitive previews as to what Thomas' rookie season will look like, but it'd be surprising if he didn't play his way into a consistent role during the regular season. Nerves or the other factors involved in the transition to the NBA clearly haven't hampered Thomas so far.

The Cavaliers will have two days off before playing the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday (4:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video). Thomas enters that game averaging 25 points through his first two NBA Summer League contests.

Elsewhere in the NBA, Darius Acuff Jr. and the Sacramento Kings will play the Washington Wizards on Sunday, with Trevon Brazile and the Denver Nuggets slated to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

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