Kenny Atkinson believes the Cleveland Cavaliers may have found one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NBA Draft.
After two outstanding performances in the NBA Summer League, second-round pick Meleek Thomas has quickly become one of the tournament’s biggest stories, earning glowing praise from the Cavaliers’ head coach.
Meleek Thomas continues to impress in Las Vegas
Selected with the 34th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Thomas has wasted no time showing why Cleveland was willing to take a chance on him.
The 19-year-old guard opened Summer League with an impressive performance against the Indiana Pacers, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds and three assists.
He followed that with an even better outing against the Detroit Pistons, exploding for 30 points while adding seven assists and four rebounds in another eye-catching display.
Thomas entered the draft after an excellent freshman season at Arkansas, where he averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting an outstanding 41.6% from three-point range.
Cleveland's 2nd-round pick, Meleek Thomas, in today's @NBASummerLeague action:
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2026
30 PTS (game-high)
4 REB
7 AST
4 STL
4 3PM pic.twitter.com/3sNonwollF
Kenny Atkinson: We got a steal
Following Thomas’ latest performance, Atkinson couldn’t hide his excitement about what the Cavaliers may have found in the second round.
“So excited. I just told John Wall we got a steal. Maybe every coach comes up here and says that, but to get him in the second round, like, I’m pinching myself. He has a great feel. He hasn’t had a turnover yet in Summer League, and you can see that he can pass. I didn’t even know he could pass like that. Obviously, he’s got the shooting and is elite competitively on defense. So, like I said, I’m just pinching myself.”
The Cavaliers coach was particularly impressed by Thomas’ all-around game, highlighting not only his scoring ability but also his decision-making, passing and defensive intensity.
Defense could earn Thomas immediate NBA minutes
Atkinson also explained what the young guard must continue doing if he wants to carve out a role in Cleveland’s rotation once the regular season begins.
“That’s it. That’s how he’s going to get on the floor,” Atkinson said when asked how Thomas can earn minutes for the Cavaliers. “And, you know, we obviously talked to Cal, right? And Cal said that to us. Don’t underestimate his defense.”
Those comments suggest Thomas’ defensive effort may be just as important as his offensive production as he looks to establish himself in the NBA.
After two outstanding Summer League performances, the Cavaliers appear increasingly confident that they found tremendous value with the 34th overall pick, and Thomas is already making a strong case to compete for meaningful minutes during his rookie season.
