Meleek Thomas earns first NBA start as he carves out role with Cavs

CLEVELAND — For the first time in the NBA, rookie Meleek Thomas heard his name being introduced as a starter when the Cavaliers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 2. And in his short time in the league, it’s quickly become evident the Cavs will be calling his number early and often. Thomas was pushed into the starting lineup for the first time against the Thunder after Peyton Watson was ruled out with a hamstring injury. The Cavs went on to lose 117-112 when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped an MVP-type performance. It was only Thomas' fourth career game since the Cavs made him the No. 34 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Hearing his name as a starter was another item to check off his NBA bucket list. “It means everything to me,” Thomas said after the game. “You obviously dream of getting here, but then to be able to contribute to winning so early in the season, being able to help you guys out, it just means the world to me. I can’t thank my teammates enough.” Meleek Thomas NBA statsThomas has made an impact on the Cavs rotation much faster than most second-round rookies. In the four games he’s played, Thomas has finished in double digits in all four. In the loss to the Thunder, he tied with Donovan Mitchell with a team-high 17 points to go with five rebounds and a steal. And, early on, Thomas has looked like one of the steals of the second round. “I mean, for a rookie, guy’s gonna be really good. He’s gonna be really good,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Obviously trust him enough to throw him in at the end of the game, too. Guy is gonna be a heck of a player. “We found a guy that can really help us.” Thomas played a career-high 26 minutes against the Thunder, though that was partly elevated with both Watson and Jaylon Tyson out with injuries. But it’s become clear, almost immediately, that Thomas will have a place in the rotation regardless of who else is available.In all four games, he’s logged at least 19 minutes, scored at least 10 points and finished with at least one steal while learning to play off Mitchell and James Harden. That trio has looked especially strong when on the floor together. “I would say I’ve grown a lot,” Thomas said, referencing playing with the star guards. “Those are very ball-dominant guys, so you got to work your way to know how they play and what works best off of them. Just me finding the windows, finding the right space to be in, knowing their tendencies and also knowing mine and how they can mesh at the same time.” Thomas’ offensive versatility, and specially how it might play off Mitchell and Harden’s games, was one of the reasons the Cavs liked him so much in the draft. “It was like, man, to support Don and James with all the pressure in today’s game, his skillset fits because he creates separation,” Atkinson said. “I know the other night it was about shooting and all that [when he shot 6 of 10 in his NBA debut], but he also has an ability to create an advantage of his own. “What’s the word? Shiftability. He’s really shifty. … He has the shooting. He has the off-ball stuff. That’s why I think we’re so excited about him, that he’s not one dimensional.” It’s unclear just how often Thomas’ name will be called as a starter once the Cavs are fully healthy. But it’s no longer a question as to how often Atkinson will be calling him off the bench to ensure he gets plenty of minutes as a rookie making an impact on a contending team. The Beacon Journal sports department can be reached at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Meleek Thomas earns first NBA start as he carves out role with Cavs