Donovan Mitchell Just Gave Meleek Thomas the ULTIMATE Compliment

Sometimes, when a player carries himself as a fierce competitor, it comes off as ingenuine. And other times, it’s the real deal. For Cleveland Cavaliers Rookie Guard Meleek Thomas, the latter appears to the case as numerous members of the organization, teammates, both current and former, as well as the coaching staff routinely characterize Thomas as a fiery competitor with a desire to learn.

The one word that keeps be thrown out there? “Dog”.

That kid’s a dog, he is who he thinks he is — he reminds me of myself.
Donovan Mitchell on Meleek Thomas

It’s not every day that a tenured NBA veteran, who just so happens to be thought of as one of the NBA’s premier talents, pays you that type of compliment. It means something coming from him.

After all, Mitchell has been at this a long time and has worked tirelessly to get to the point at which he Is right now. He knows how to discern varying levels of talent, and he appears to see flashes of himself in the rookie guard.

He wants to learn, he asks so many questions.
Mitchell on Thomas' desire to learn

“That kid’s a dog, he is who he thinks he is — he reminds me of myself”

Donovan Mitchell on Cavs rookie Meleek Thomas pic.twitter.com/Y4aZ5hKGUT
— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) September 28, 2026

That is exactly the type of mentality you want your young players to exhibit. Especially when there is a wealth of experience with which to draw from in the form of Mitchell, James Harden, Thomas Bryant, etc. Cleveland has no shortage of veteran leadership that Thomas can turn to in a pinch and learn something from.

It’s quite clear why so many are so high on this year’s 34th pick, especially after his supreme showcase during the 2026 NBA Summer League, in which he posted averages of 27.3 Points, 3.5 Rebounds, 3.8 Assists, and 2.0 Steals per game. He was extremely efficient, converting on 50.0% of his field goal attempts, including a monstrous 43.8 from deep range.

He appeared to be everything he was touted to be and more, dazzling fans with a level of flare that not many thought possible for a rookie his age. He was stellar on-ball, magnificent off of it and even managed to showcase a bit of defensive upside albeit in a limited capacity.

And while that was just a 4-game sample size, the merits in his skillset were on full display. Mitchell and others have taken notice, and it might not be long before he begins to put the league on notice.

Fans could get their next opportunity to see him suit up during Cleveland’s preseason slate, which immediately follows training camp. He’ll almost assuredly get a real opportunity to separate himself from the competition at backup point guard. Time will tell if he’s able to make a big enough of an impression to be trusted from day one.

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