The Cleveland Cavaliers might be eagerly anticipating whether or not LeBron James is going to be coming back home, but for now, their attention is set towards Summer League action as they keep track of the progress of their young prospects. Arguably the most exciting player for fans to watch out for during Vegas Summer League action is guard Meleek Thomas, whom the Cavs drafted with the 34th overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft.

Thomas declared for the draft after just one season with Arkansas, averaging 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest. The Cavs were clearly high on him, as reports came out saying that Cleveland had targeted him with their pick in the first round before recognizing that they could still get their guy after trading down.

And the Cavs brass has to be very pleased with Thomas’ Summer League showing. He lit up the scoring column on Monday in a 90-73 win over the Miami Heat, recording 35 points on 14-23 shooting from the field. But it’s his team-first mentality that should endear him quickly to both the fanbase and the coaching staff.

“I’m big about winning. I just wanted to solidify the win. I want to keep solidifying wins. It’s not about the points, just because. I’m a team-oriented player. If I make others look better, I look amazing myself,” Thomas told Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime.

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The Cavs signed Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million contract with the first three years guaranteed, signaling that they are indeed excited for what he brings to the table. It will help as well that Cleveland can afford to bring him along slowly, as the team is expected to bring back James Harden in addition to their pursuit of James, all while having Dennis Schroder already on the roster.

But if Thomas keeps working on the defensive end all while playing his role on offense alongside the Cavs’ stars, he could be a rotation player sooner than people think.