Meleek Thomas scored 16 points in 19 minutes in his NBA debut, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for a 127-125 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. The rookie guard had waited two games for his chance after sitting out the Cavaliers’ first two contests.
“It was on my mind I was going to be on my best version. Have a great showing, stand out and make sure people leaving the gym know my name,” said Thomas, the 34th overall pick in June’s NBA draft.
A Strong Debut Off the Bench
Thomas entered for Peyton Watson with 5:53 remaining in the first quarter. He missed his first shot, a 28-foot 3-pointer from the right wing, but he bounced back with a running layup with 3:39 left in the opening period. He finished the first half with 10 points, the most of any Cleveland player at that point, after logging 10 minutes before intermission.
The performance ranks as the second-most points by a Cavaliers rookie in his debut off the bench. Brevin Knight scored 18 against Houston on Oct. 31, 1997, after Cleveland selected him 16th overall out of Stanford.
Thomas went 6 of 10 from the field, including 4 of 5 on 3-pointers, and added two rebounds and one steal. The 20-year-old guard averaged 15.6 points and shot 41.6% from 3-point range at Arkansas last season.
Teammates Praise the Rookie
“It is very rare to ride the coattails of a rookie riding into the half,” said All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who led Cleveland with 25 points. “For him to be the spark in his first game of the year is not normal. He made some mistakes but they were aggressive. He was fearless and trying to impact the game.”
Mitchell also highlighted Thomas’s work on defense. “His attention to detail defensively surprised me,” Mitchell said. “Offensively he makes shots. He’s trying and willing to learn. We definitely got lucky with him but he set a high precedent for himself.”
Thomas spent time with James Harden and Mitchell during preseason workouts, which helped build his confidence. “It was an amazing feeling. It was kind of everything I expected. I knew I had to stay ready and my moment will come. You can’t keep a star in the closet,” Thomas said.
Why Atkinson Finally Played Him
Coach Kenny Atkinson kept Thomas off the floor against Philadelphia and Brooklyn because of matchup problems. Against Minnesota, he decided to see what the rookie could do. Cleveland needed a third ball handler on the court to take pressure off Mitchell and Harden.
Thomas drew pre-draft comparisons to CJ McCollum, another 6-foot-3 guard who excelled from beyond the arc. Cleveland trailed by 15 points in the first half before rallying in the third quarter and eventually winning in overtime. Thomas did not play the final 9:35 of the game, but Mitchell credited the rookie for the win.
“In this league, you have to do it over and over. Since the day we drafted him we were bullish on him,” Atkinson said.