Last season, Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas shot 48.7% from three-point range during SEC play
With one week until the 2026 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards are essentially on the clock already, and they’ll have an opportunity to take a franchise-shifting player with the first overall pick. Regardless of who the Wizards go with, though, this year’s draft class checks out as one of the deeper talent pools in recent years, so the Detroit Pistons should have several impactful options to choose from at No. 21 overall.
During the playoffs, the Pistons’ lack of three-point shooters (apart from Duncan Robinson) was exposed even more clearly by both the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers, so it tracks that Detroit has already hosted a series of dangerous perimeter shooters for pre-draft workouts. The Pistons currently do not own a second round pick, so the organization intends to make their selection count at the pivot point between the mid-to-late first round.
In terms of who the Pistons may go for, the Motown squad has already hosted Baylor’s Cameron Carr, Duke’s Isaiah Evans and Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas for workouts ahead of the draft in recent weeks. All three check out as accomplished, reliable three-point shooters, and there’s a good chance that at least one will be available at 21.
With regards to Thomas, who’s a 6-5 freshman with a quick release, the Pistons would immediately add one of college basketball’s elite shooters that served as a prolific long-range scorer for the Razorbacks last year. Averaging 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, Thomas connected on three-pointers at 41.6% rate while going 48.7% from downtown during SEC play. Thomas formed a lethal duo with potential top 10 pick Darius Acuff last season, and both players were selected to the conference’s All-Freshman team for their on-court success under head coach John Calipari.
In his lone season of college hoops, Thomas started in 21 of the 37 games he appeared in as a freshman for Arkansas and led his squad in both free throw percentage (84.3%) and steals along the way. Throughout the year, Thomas grew into his role as a dynamic off-ball scorer who still had the ability to create his own shot off the dribble when not finishing looks from Acuff. But with the rock, Thomas has a quick first step and looks like a natural traveling down the court in transition.
As a creator, Thomas ceded much of those duties to Acuff last year, but he does have the ability to cut to the elbow and make smart plays from the mid-range when operating out of the half court. But in Detroit, Thomas would serve as an active participant on the fastbreak who can finish plays above the rim thanks to his explosive nature and knack for making mid-air adjustments around the bucket.
For the most part, Thomas has been regularly projected as a mid-to-late first round pick in recent mock drafts. The Pistons already had Thomas in for a workout, so they’re clearly aware of his talent and will be monitoring his availability on draft night after he put such an impressive perimeter shooting display on tape last season with Arkansas. If Thomas is not available, Detroit could be forced to shift gears and look to players like Carr or Evans, but keep an eye out for the Razorbacks freshman on draft night.
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