Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony didn't hold back his praise for one Cleveland Cavaliers rookie who lit up the NBA Summer League, and he also weighed in on what it means to enter the league at just 19 years old.

So who caught Anthony's eye? Meleek Thomas. Anthony was hosting the 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony podcast, being joined by Gilbert Arenas and Kam Patterson. He replied with Thomas' name when he was asked about the NBA Summer League standouts.

"Could have been a top 20 pick," Anthony said on July 21. "Now, you get an opportunity to play in the Summer League against all these (players) who just went before you. And he’s showing up. He’s playing basketball. Like, he’s out there hooping and really proving himself. I truly take my hat off."

Anthony's best performer was Thomas, per 7PM in Brooklyn. Thomas led the league in points, averaging 27.3 points, 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in four games. He was also named to the NBA Summer League First Team.

Thomas was picked 34th overall in this year's NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings before being immediately traded to the Cavaliers for the No. 29 overall pick, UConn forward Alex Karaban.

The Cavaliers' Summer League run backs up the hype. Cleveland closed out its 2026 NBA Summer League campaign in Las Vegas with a 3–2 record, headlined by a breakout performance from Thomas himself.

Thomas wasn't the only rookie turning heads in Vegas this summer. Chicago Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson put together a strong four-game stretch of his own, averaging 23.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee's No. 10 overall pick, Brayden Burries, backed up his lottery status with a First Team Summer League selection, posting averages of 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game in Las Vegas.

Now being drafted to the Cavaliers, the Cavaliers' president also had views on how Thomas could be useful for the Cavaliers this upcoming season.

What can the NBA rookie Meleek Thomas bring to the table?

After Thomas' recruitment, the Cavaliers' president of basketball operations, Koby Altman, suggested making Thomas a combo guard because he has both on-ball and off-ball abilities.

"We want to develop that skill set so he can be a true combo going forward," Altman said on June 24. "And look, this is a long-term thing. We want to continue to have the draft be a lifeblood of this program."

Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in the 2025-26 NCAA season. He also won the SEC Tournament with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Recently, Thomas also spoke about what he can bring to the Cavaliers.

"My energy, my defense, my offense, my leadership," Thomas said on July 13, according to the Cavaliers. "I'm going to come in as a rookie, but nobody is going to take me to be a rookie just because of how I play and how I carry myself."

So Thomas feels confident in his abilities and believes that he can prove the Cavaliers right. His Summer League stats also support his and Anthony's stance on the rookie being a talented player.

Can Meleek Thomas live up to the Summer League buzz once the real season starts? Let us know below.

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Written by

Dhruv Singh

Edited by

Utsav Gupta