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Razorbacks, John Calipari Closing in on Major 5-star Prospect

Red carpet, facilities, fan support and upset of top five opponent might've been enough for Hogs to seal commitment of Maleek Thomas

Jacob Davis

Former Kentucky coach John Calipari yells at his players during the second half of a quarterfinal SEC Men Basketball Tournament game against Vanderbilt at Bridgestone Arena Friday, March 10, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn.
Former Kentucky coach John Calipari yells at his players during the second half of a quarterfinal SEC Men Basketball Tournament game against Vanderbilt at Bridgestone Arena Friday, March 10, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — One program stands in the way of Arkansas sealing the deal for one of the nation's best uncommitted prospects. 2025 combo guard Meleek Thomas was in town this past weekend and witnessed a thrilling 19-14 victory over then No. 4 Tennessee inside Razorback Stadium.

The 6-4, 175-pound guard has been quiet for the most part as his recruitment trended in the direction of two-time defending national champions, UConn. Two other dates were scheduled for Thomas before he officially circled a date to visit with the Razorbacks and hall of fame coach John Calipari.

With the football team doing its part and fans showing unquestionable support from start to finish, the Razorbacks might be in a great spot to land Thomas, according to Rivals' Rob Cassidy.

Arkansas has long been among the front-runners to land five-star guard Meleek Thomas, and last week's visit seems to have solidified the Razorbacks’ position as one of, if not the, most likely landing spot for the Pittsburgh native.

Thomas recently canceled a visit to Alabama. As of now, a visit to Kansas State remains on the schedule for Oct. 26, but the future of that trip seemed a little up in the air as of Sunday afternoon. A cancellation would be extremely positive news for Arkansas fans, as K-State has the financial support and relationships in place to become a threat.

Should Thomas set foot in Manhattan as scheduled, there could be some white knuckle moments in Fayetteville. If not, it might be time for celebration in the Hawgs' recruiting office.

- Rob Cassidy, Rivals

Arkansas' momentum is in a good place even at home as Hawg Beat's Jackson Collier logged an expert prediction for Thomas to commit to the Razorbacks. Thomas transferred from his home state of Pennsylvania to play his senior season in Atlanta, Georgia at Overtime Elite where he plays for the City Reapers.

He had an outstanding run during his time at Lincoln Park where he led the Leopards to back-to-back state titles. In his final two seasons, Thomas averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game.

During Thomas' Overtime Elite preseason debut, he led the league in scoring with 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting with seven rebounds, four steals and two assists. If 247sports team recruiting rankings remain the same, Arkansas would pass rival Kentucky for the No. 5 class in the country.

A combination of Thomas and 5-star point guard Darius Acuff would make one of the best 1-2 freshmen backcourts in the country from a high school production and recruiting standpoint. Acuff is a streaky scorer at 6-foot-2 but possess a 6-foot-6 wingspan.

Other Major Targets

No. 4 SF Nate Ament
No. 6 PF Koa Peat
No. 8 PF Caleb Wilson
No. 10 C Chris Cenac
No. 18 PG Kingston Flemings
No. 29 SF Shon Abaev

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

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