Five-Star Plus+ SG Meleek Thomas commits to Arkansas

Meleek Thomas, one of the top shooting guards in the country, has committed to the University of Arkansas, he told On3.

The Five-Star Plus+ senior of Overtime Elite (GA) ultimately chose the Razorbacks and John Calipari over UConn and Pitt, but also received offers from Alabama, Auburn, Kansas, and Kansas State.

Thomas, a 6-foot-3 Pittsburgh native, is the nation’s No. 8 overall prospect, No. 2 shooting guard and No. 2 recruit in Georgia in the 2025 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Thomas becomes Arkansas’s second commitment this cycle, joining five-star PG Darius Acuff (No. 9 nationally).

Thomas on his commitment to Arkansas

In a release from Overtime Elite, Meleek Thomas discussed his decision to choose the Razorbacks.

“When I was making my college decision, I wanted to make sure that everything was a fit from play style and how they will use me on the team but also that it felt like home to me and my family,” said Thomas. “Family is so important to me – and with Coach Cal and the team at Arkansas, I felt at home. I am going to spend my senior season at OTE, just developing and continuing to be the best player I can so I can make an impact in Fayetteville right away.”

Scouting Report

“Meleek Thomas is a bucket-getter who is wired to score. He is electric when it comes to shooting the ball with range that extends well beyond the three-point arc and the confidence that extends to any level. He has good length with some quick-twitch pop to his game. Thomas is able to carve out space off the bounce. His dribble can get him open, and he has the ability to contort his body to get his shoulders squared upon release. He will need to continue adding weight to his frame. Scoring comes so easily to him, he can get shot happy. Thomas is a good on-ball defender and has natural instincts in the passing lanes. he is tracking as one of the top guards, nationally, in his class.” – On3’s Jamie Shaw

Thomas’s NIL Valuation worth over $1 million

Meleek Thomas currently holds a $1.3 million On3 NIL Valuation, which ranks 9th in high school basketball.

The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value

While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career.

The On3 NIL Valuation accounts for an athlete’s roster value and brand value. Roster value is the value an athlete has by being a member of his or her team at his or her school, which factors into the role of NIL collectives. Brand value factors in an athlete’s personal brand and the value it could bring to regional and national brands outside of the scope of NIL collectives.