The Arkansas Razorback have discovered a newfound depth ever since recruiting freshman Meleek Thomas to the roster. Though in the last game against Queens NC, Thomas went just 1-of-11 from shooting, his impact on the floor resonated with his six assists, four rebounds and two steals. It highlighted his ability to influence the game beyond the box score. Thomas has a great learning curve and Arkansas coach John Calipari finds him matching a former Detroit Pistons player and NBA champion.
In a recent appearance on Inside College Basketball Now, Calipari compared Meleek Thomas’ game to three-time All-Star and NBA champion Rip Hamilton. Hamilton is a three-time All-Star, most famously known for leading the Pistons to a championship in 2004. As a college athlete as well, Hamilton was a 2x Big East Player of the Year, Consensus First-Team All-American, and NCAA champion with the UConn Huskies. Comparing Thomas to the veteran star, Calipari said,
“This Guy didn’t play for me but I am a big fan and a friend. So Rip Hamilton for MEleek. But Rip got shots off before he caught the ball. How he flew around, knew how to use screens, knew how to set man up, knew how to get them close where he could go and do something, that’s who he [Meleek Thomas] could be. And That’s pretty lofty.”
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In the past three games, Thomas’ shooting ability hasn’t been quite on the par, being just 7-of-31. Nevertheless, the freshman’s still got 3.4 assists per game and his defensive activity underscores his importance as a bench leader. Once he can build up his efficiency and rebounding, we can expect Arkansas’ second unit to become a legitimate threat.
With the season in the SEC and national spotlight intensifying, depth could be the only thing for Arkansas to prove as its greatest advantage. The Razorbacks are a team built on balance, which tend to peak late. If the Razorbacks continue with such contributions up and down the roster, they would definitely become a team to watch out for this college basketball season.
John Calipari Takes A Jab At NCAA’s Transfer System
Lately, John Calipari has been vocal about his concerns regarding the NCAA. In one of his recent press conferences, Calipari went on an outburst regarding the transfer rules in college basketball. Highlighting the lack of professionalism among players, Calipari said,
“With these kids what they’re going through, the social media stuff. People in the ear ‘Transfer, transfer, transfer so I can make money,’ Okay? That always won’t work out. All of a sudden, these kids have the weight of the world. Well, That’s our job to deal with that and help them walk through that.”
In a way, Calipari is trying to encourage the younger generation to focus more on basketball than the money flowing in. Perhaps, that’s one of the reasons why he has been able to field one of the youngest and deepest teams in the SEC this season.
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