Nobody was going to bet against this one.
Meleek Thomas officially staying in the 2026 NBA Draft became official when Wednesday night’s withdrawal deadline passed without so much as a whisper from his camp. Multiple media outlets reported the news.
The Pittsburgh native isn’t coming back to Fayetteville, and frankly, it’s hard to argue with the direction the evidence was pointing.
Thomas arrived at Arkansas as a consensus five-star recruit — the No. 13 overall prospect and No. 3 rated shooting guard in the 2025 class.
He’s listed as the fifth-highest rated Razorbacks recruit in the modern era. After what he did in his lone season with the Hogs, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he’s betting on himself at the next level.
What Thomas Did in One Season
The numbers Thomas put up as a freshman were hard to ignore. He averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 43.5% from the field.
Even better, he shot 48.7% from three-point range in SEC-only games, which is a school record at Arkansas.
Thomas also handled big moments. He scored at least 17 points in each of the Hogs’ NCAA Tournament games and put up 29 points on 4-of-7 shooting from deep against Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament.
He was named SEC Freshman of the Week in the final week of the regular season after averaging 21.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in wins over Texas and Missouri.
He probably would have had a few more of those if it wasn’t for fellow freshman Darius Acuff Jr. grabbing them seemingly every week.
Thomas was part of the top-scoring freshman duo in Division I since 2019-20. The two combined for 1,424 points and became the first freshman duo each to post at least 20 points and five assists in an NCAA Tournament game.
The Draft Process and What Scouts Found
Thomas entered the draft process back on April 13 and has been working through it ever since.
He participated in the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago and measured at 6-foot-2, 185.8 pounds with a 6-foot-7 wingspan and an 8-foot-2.5 standing reach. He didn’t participate in combine scrimmages, which drew some notice.
His combine shooting drill results were mixed. In the side-mid-side drill, he finished 9 of 25 and ranked 63rd among 71 participants. That stat made some rounds.
According to multiple media reports, Thomas’s private workouts told a much different story and the feedback he received pointed clearly toward a first-round selection.
Most recently, he worked out with the New York Knicks, who are currently in the NBA Finals and hold both the No. 24 and No. 31 picks in next month’s draft.
Current mock drafts have Thomas projected as high as No. 26 to Denver, with most landing him somewhere in the late first round.
The Bigger Picture for Arkansas
Thomas’s decision means the Razorbacks are looking at a realistic scenario where two freshman guards from the same team get taken in the first round of the same NBA Draft.
Acuff declared for the draft back on April 22, and mock drafts have him projected in the first round lottery picks.
It’s a remarkable outcome for a John Calipari recruiting class. Both players committed to Calipari and helped power one of the more productive freshman backcourts in recent college basketball history in their single season together in Fayetteville.
Meanwhile, former teammate Billy Richmond ultimately chose the opposite path.
Richmond announced his decision to withdraw from the draft and return to the Razorbacks early Wednesday evening, giving Arkansas a key piece back for 2026-27.
That leaves three Hogs currently projected to be selected in this year’s NBA Draft.
Thomas was named to the 2026 First Team NABC All-Southeast District and to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
He led Arkansas in free throw percentage at 84.3% and steals with 57 on the season. He also started 21 of the 37 games he played.
