The Cleveland Cavaliers released a special episode of All-Access: The Road Back on Aug. 26 , focused on the 34th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. It opens with a phone call: Cleveland had five minutes at No. 29, but the room decided not to use it.
The Cavaliers picked UConn forward Alex Karaban at 29, then traded him to the Kings for the 34th pick and a 2032 second-rounder. Cleveland also selected Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas.
Thomas came in for a pre-draft workout in Cleveland, which Altman said carried weight in the process.
"We were excited that he was available in the second round," Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said. "Usually a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier. So the fact that we were able to move back and still select a player of his caliber and his shot making, one of the best shot makers in all college basketball, pretty excited about that."
Jake Fischer reported that Thomas would have been Cleveland's selection at 29 had the Cavaliers stayed there.
Second-round picks do not carry rookie-scale contracts.
"When you're able to acquire a second-round pick, potentially to work out a win-win for you and the player, that gives us optionality and flexibility in the second round that we didn't have in the first round," Altman explained.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson spoke with Thomas in Brooklyn, focusing on the workout and film rather than the draft slot.
"You have a room here in front of you that really believes in you," Atkinson said. "You have a coaching staff that believes in you. And it all starts there with the belief. You killed our workout. We watch a ton of film on you. Two-way player. I just can't wait to get you in the building."
Thomas traces his competitiveness to a house with nine children in it.
"My competitive edge comes from just how I grew up," Thomas said. "I got six brothers, two sisters. So in a house like that, it's like somebody's not going to get what they want many times."
Thomas hails from Pittsburgh and played for Overtime Elite prior to attending Arkansas. He was recognized as a McDonald's All-American and a consensus five-star recruit, ranking 13th nationally in the 2025 class according to 247Sports.
As a freshman under John Calipari, Thomas played 37 games, averaging 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. He shot 41.6% from three on 5.3 attempts per game, earning SEC All-Freshman honors. In his last 25 games, he made 56 of 117 three-pointers, including key moments in Arkansas' SEC Tournament win and their run to the Sweet 16, halted by Arizona. Thomas scored 20+ points nine times, with a high of 30 against Missouri. He often started with Darius Acuff Jr., who was seventh overall.
In Las Vegas, Thomas played four Summer League games, averaging 27.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, with 50% overall and 43.8% from three. He led in scoring , scored 35 against Miami on July 23, and was named to the Summer League First Team with Boozer, Wilson, Burries, and Lendeborg, the only player outside the lottery. His scoring average ranks third in Summer League history, behind Marcus Banks (2007) and Donovan Mitchell (2017), both in fewer than three games.
Thomas turned 20 on Aug. 6.
