Potential first-round pick Meleek Thomas announces NBA draft decision

Arkansas freshman Meleek Thomas announced Monday on Instagram that he plans to declare for the 2026 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility.

Thomas was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, averaging 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 41.6% from 3-point range in 37 games. He registered nine 20-point games, including a season-high 30 points and seven rebounds on March 7.

The 6-foot-5 guard shot a program record 48.7% from beyond the arc in 18 SEC games. He connected on five or more 3s in a game four times, which was tied for the seventh-most such occurrences among all players in the conference .

Thomas is projected to be a late first-round pick after a productive year with the Razorbacks. He became a full-time starter midway through the season for coach John Calipari, showcasing his shooting and ability to light up the scoreboard.

The 19-year-old opted to test the predraft process, meaning he'll have the opportunity to gain feedback from teams in interviews and workouts and weigh his options. Underclassmen who declare as early entrants have until May 27 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

Thomas is a part of a highly touted draft class with the likes of teammate Darius Acuff Jr., Cameron Boozer,  Mikel Brown Jr. , AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and  Caleb Wilson  projected to be high selections. The group is considered one of the most talented in recent memory.

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Arkansas news: Meleek Thomas makes 2026 NBA draft plans known