Inside The Panthers

Pitt Target Dazzles At NBA Recruiting Showcase

Blue-chip Pitt Panthers target Meleek Thomas continues to prove why he's one of the best players in America.

Stephen Thompson

Lincoln Park's Meleek Thomas (5) drives to the basket while being guarded by North Catholic's Jason Fredericks (13) during the first half Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
Lincoln Park's Meleek Thomas (5) drives to the basket while being guarded by North Catholic's Jason Fredericks (13) during the first half Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. / Michael Longo/For The Beaver County

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers are in the running to land a special prospect, who showed why he's one of the best available in his recruiting class with a dominating performance at a top-teir scouting event hosted by the NBA Players Association.

Five-star shooting guard Meleek Thomas, a Western Pennsylvania native who is set to begin his senior year at Lincoln Arts Performing High School this fall, posted an astonishing stat line during five-on-five action at the NBPA Top 100 Camp - 30 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists - while taking on some of the best competition in America.

Thomas is the third-leading scorer of any player at the event after one day of competition and did it while making just one 3-pointer. He's fourth in assists and 10th in rebounding, as well.

The Top 100 camp is an annual event held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. Organized by former NBA scouting personnel, the event combines high-level basketball instruction and competition between some of the best high school players in the country with some instructional programs for players and parents alike about what life as a high-level college and NBA player entails.

Thomas, a consensus top-10 player in the class of 2025 and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania, understandibly has plenty of big-name programs coming after him. Kentucky, UConn, Arkansas, Auburn, Penn State, Indiana, Villanova, St. John's, Kansas State, Missouri, Michigan, Duke, Tennessee, Xavier, Louisville, Alabama and Kansas are just some of the programs to have extended offers to this point. The Kentucky Wildcats, Panthers, Aubrun Tigers and Nittany Lions have all hosted him for official visits and trips to see the Huskies and Razorbacks are on the docket for later this month.

The Panthers have a personal connection to Thomas and not just because he hails from right in their own backyard. Thomas has spent the past two seasons as high school teammates with newly-minted Pitt freshman, Brandin Cummings, who got on campus for the first time earlier this month. Thomas would join Cummings frequently in courtisde seats at the Petersen Events Center for Pitt games this past season.

Thomas is one of the most highly-coveted prospects in America right now and his stock is only rising as he shows out against more high level competition. The Panthers hope their deep connection with Thomas will rise above it all.

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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