Although most of the fanfare last season and during the offseason for Arkansas basketball has centered on Darius Acuff Jr., who is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, John Calipari devoted even more time and effort to recruiting Meleek Thomas, affectionately known as "Leek," revealing just how much more of his talent will inevitably materialize. With the dominant spotlight on Acuff Jr., Thomas received limited national attention.
As fierce and confident a competitor as anyone, including Acuff Jr., Leek has main character energy, which is one significant reason for him to allow himself an opportunity to star in such a role by returning for one more season at Arkansas. If Thomas returns to join Calipari's 2026 No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, the Razorbacks' chances of winning a national championship rise exponentially, and even more so if Billy Richmond returns.
Thomas, Richmond, and all early entrants who declared for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining their college eligibility have until today, May 27, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. ET, to decide whether they are going to remain in the draft or withdraw and return to college. Thomas and Richmond will benefit tremendously from returning to Arkansas basketball, as they will have more opportunities to develop under Calipari's tutelage, receive increased national attention, and gain more value by potentially winning a college basketball national championship.
Richmond will be a quality NBA player and bring value to any team that selects him, but Thomas has greater potential to become an NBA star, which is why he must not leave the Razorbacks prematurely. Yes, becoming an NBA player is a dream, and the type of money he can earn in the NBA can lead to financial freedom unimaginable to most people. However, the timing is not right for him to remain in the draft.
If Thomas remains in the draft today, he will dramatically lower his NBA entrance value, as he is unlikely to be selected in the first round. Playing one more season at Arkansas gives him a legitimate chance to receive much more money, as he will most likely be selected in the first round after he completes another season as a Razorback. Â
Meleek Thomas will decide his Arkansas basketball future today
When Thomas joined the Arkansas basketball team, Calipari gained one of the most disciplined competitors he has ever coached. Leek's confidence level ranks second to none. With such confidence, he may stay in the draft to embrace the daunting challenges the NBA presents, including landing a roster spot with a team at the highest possible selection.
If one is honest, one cannot blame Thomas for deciding to stay in the draft to pursue his NBA hoop dreams and change his and his family's financial lives forever. At the same time, however, if one is honest and really cares about him as both a person and player, not just what he can do for the Razorbacks, the individual will admit that he is not ready right now to compete against NBA players. For all his talent, he still needs much more growth. After all, he has just completed his freshman season. Even with his strong confidence, playing in the NBA G League can be discouraging for him, which is where he is likely to go if he remains in the draft.
If Leek stays in the draft, Calipari will not only have to replace his superstar point guard and leading scorer, Darius Acuff Jr., but also Thomas, his second-leading scorer. Last season, Meleek Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and shot 43.5% from the field. Calipari has assembled a team ready to take on the challenge of replacing all that the Hogs have lost and may still lose.
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