Kentucky cracks the Top 12 for 5-star '25 SG Meleek Thomas
Meleek Thomas, arguably the top high school shooting guard in the nation, has Kentucky among his first group of finalists.
Thomas announced on Friday that he is now down to 12 college options. Kentucky made the cut, as did Kansas State, Indiana, Kansas, Duke, Auburn, Tennessee, UConn, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Miami (FL), and Villanova. The Pittsburgh (PA) Lincoln Park Performing Arts product is considered a five-star recruit and the No. 5 overall junior by the On3 Industry Ranking.
Although Thomas has yet to make a trip to UK, he told KSR in July that he has intends to visit the program. The Wildcats offered him in April and he’s been hearing primarily from head coach John Calipari and assistant coach Orlando Antigua. The staff has been recruiting Thomas since before his sophomore year of high school.
“They doing a good job of recruiting me,” Thomas told KSR. “They don’t try to bother me — I’d say that’s the word for it. I know what Kentucky is and they let me know that there’s a spot there, they want me there, I’m wanted there. You feel that from the head coach and the assistant coach. I talk to Antigua, I talk to Cal. When you hear that from two coaches, you know it’s real. When they both show up to games and they came to my state (championship) game. Things like that, it’s love.”
So far, Thomas has taken unofficial visits to the likes of Penn State, Pittsburgh, Indiana, and Villanova since last summer. According to On3’s Joe Tipton, Thomas has locked in his first official visits with Michigan for Sept. 8-10 and Auburn for Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
Throughout the summer, Thomas suited up for the New Heights Lightning on the Nike EYBL circuit where the Kentucky staff was a constant shadow on the sidelines. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 24.4 minutes per game on shooting splits of 48.9/36.5/74.3 while playing up a year in competition.
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