All Hogs

Graphic Blunder for Ament, Hogs' Duo Impress in All-American Game

Thomas, Acuff flash stardom, Ament shows why he is coveted
Jacob Davis|
McDonald's All American West guard Meleek Thomas (5) dribbles the ball against McDonald's All American East forward Trey McKenney (3) during the first half of the game at Barclays Center.
McDonald's All American West guard Meleek Thomas (5) dribbles the ball against McDonald's All American East forward Trey McKenney (3) during the first half of the game at Barclays Center. | Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

BROOKLYN -- The 2026 McDonald's All-American game was a good watch this season with so many talented high schoolers putting their talent on display as the West defeated the East, 105-92.

The Razorbacks were one of three schools to have two or more players participate as their two 5-star guard signees shined throughout. Uncommitted forward Nate Ament, who was expected to announce his college decision Tuesday night, contributed with stellar play in a losing effort.

Meleek Thomas, West All-American

One of his best plays took place as the first quarter came to a close. Thomas took the East's defense on an isolation set using a screen on the wing to get enough space to knockdown a smooth three-pointer.

The 6-foot-4, 190 pound shooting guard finished the night with six points, four rebounds, two steals and one assist for the West team and showed the type of electric playmaking he possesses with the ability to score at all three levels.

Basketball appears to come easy to him and he is willing to do what his team needs to win a game even without the ball in his hands. Thomas earned the respect from No. 3 overall prospect and Kansas Jayhawks signee Darryn Peterson as someone who stood out most in the lead-up to Tuesday's All-American game.

"We're all used to being on the ball," Peterson said Monday. "But, here, we are all trying to play the point, so he's playing off ball and that's very impressive to me."

Arkansas signee Meleek Thomas drives to basket during 2025 McDonald's All-American Game
McDonald's All American West guard Meleek Thomas (5) shoots the ball against McDonald's All American East guard Darius Adams (20) during the first half of the game at Barclays Center. | Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

While it's hard to take too much away from an all-star game, it's easy to understand what an opportunity it is for a young player. Thomas said playing in the most prestigious high school all-star game is an honor that validates years of hard work.

"It's kind of like all my work from middle school through high school, just everything I've always dreamed about, was to lead up to this morning," Thomas said. "Just to be in the same game, same rooms as as the best of the best to display my talent against the best of the country. I put all my work into this. It's exciting."

Darius Acuff, East All-American

There wasn't another point guard on the court Tuesday night who was more impressive than the Arkansas signee. Acuff pierced his way through the West team's defense on multiple occasions with multiple impressive passes to go along with a solid scoring night.

The 6-foot-2, 180 pound combo guard from IMG Academy made his presence felt early and often, going for 12 points, four assists, two steals and one rebound. Acuff mesmerized the Barclay's Center crowd with several dazzling passes and another step-back jumper over the No. 1 overall prospect, BYU signee AJ Dybantsa.

Acuff is next in a long line of elite high school guards opting to play for Arkansas coach John Calipari. Like he does every night, his shots are like magnets near the rim as the nation's No. 2 point guard for this class can shoot from any level of the floor and make them drop with ease.

Nate Ament, East All-American

The top uncommitted prospect remaining in the 2025 class moved his commitment date out a bit before making his ultimate decision. While it's neat to speculate where Ament's mind was prior to this week's activities in New York, things became a little more strange early in the night when ESPN had the nation's No. 4 prospect listed as a Louisville commitment.

This potential move by Ament wouldn't have caught many off guard should he have chosen to stay closer to home and play for Pat Kelsey's Cardinals squad. The most intriguing point is it would've gone completely against where most had him forecast in the days leading up Tuesday night's game as he was projected to land with either Duke or Arkansas.

The mystery of his recruitment continues as there is no timeline for an expected announcement regarding where he will attend college. His top five list consists of Arkansas, Duke, Louisville, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Despite the recent drama, Ament has potential to be a certified stud at the college level not because of his lighter frame for a power forward, but his surprisingly good handles for someone at 6-foot-10.

He needs more power behind his throws upcourt once getting to college, but Ament shows plenty of promise as a second or third ball handler. While most players in his situation are prone to throw the ball away, it is clear how confident the Virginia native is in his abilities to impact a game in several different ways.

There is no doubt Ament will need to fill out his frame whether he goes to the ACC or SEC, but he's an NBA type of player who isn't a complete project type of athlete like many suggest. His ceiling remains high and adds a different type of stretch play at the four that many teams around the country won't have next season.

HOGS FEED:

• Calipari cashes in big on Razorbacks' tournament success

• McGuire shines in first start for Hogs; beats Grambling in North Little Rock

• Two Pro Hogs hit career miletstones during MLB opening weekend

• Grad transfer wide receiver popping up on Razorbacks' radar

• Two pro Hogs hit career milestones during MLB opening week

Published
Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.

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