Pittsburgh native Meleek Thomas, the Lincoln Park product who spent a prep year with Overtime Elite and a freshman season at Arkansas, finally heard his name late on Night Two of the 2026 NBA Draft. Taken in the second round after just one collegiate season, Thomas capped a rapid climb from packed local gyms to the national stage.
Draft night and trade details
Official draft results list Thomas as the No. 34 selection, chosen by the Sacramento Kings, with his draft rights reported as sent to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to NBA.com. Live draft coverage showed Cleveland sliding down from No. 29 to No. 34 in a swap with Sacramento that also included a future second-round pick, per Yahoo Sports. So Thomas was formally called under Sacramento’s slot, but he is expected to land in Cleveland’s system once the trade paperwork and post-draft signings are wrapped up.
Local roots and path to the draft
Thomas built his reputation at Lincoln Park Performing Arts, helping the Leopards to back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA state championships before taking a prep stop with Atlanta-based Overtime Elite, as reported by ESPN. A five-star recruit, he chose Arkansas and arrived in Fayetteville as one of the headliners in the 2025 class. For Western Pennsylvania hoops fans, his draft moment is another chapter in a familiar story of Steel City talent climbing into the league.
Arkansas season that raised his stock
As a freshman under coach John Calipari at Arkansas, Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, according to the Arkansas Razorbacks. His shooting and late-season surge helped push the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16, a run that kept him firmly on draft boards even as analysts debated exactly where he would land, per Yahoo Sports. Calipari praised Thomas’ confidence and upside, calling him “an unbelievable shot maker” and suggesting he might go “a little bit lower than people think,” as reported by Sports Illustrated.
What comes next
Contract terms and roster plans will be sorted out in the coming days as Thomas and his new team finalize signings and summer-league assignments. Second-round selections are not locked into the rookie-scale guarantees that first-rounders receive, and teams often lean on a mix of partially guaranteed deals or two-way contracts while a player develops, according to contract guides on the CBA. Thomas is expected to join summer-league workouts and training-camp evaluations before the Cavaliers, or whichever team ultimately holds his rights, map out the exact path for his first pro season.
For Pittsburgh, it is another hometown milestone: a Lincoln Park star who climbed from local title runs through Overtime Elite and high-major college ball to an NBA jersey. Local outlets have followed Thomas since his high-school days, and WTAE covered his selection and Arkansas season. Neighbors, coaches, and former teammates will now be watching to see how the 6-foot-3 guard’s shooting touch and swagger carry over to the biggest stage.
