Meleek Thomas
- Thread starter Pittnerski
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Brandin Cummings has remained on fire this season for Lincoln. After averaging almost 30 points per game and being the star for Lincoln in the Capital Classic in Oregon where Lincoln finished 4th place in a star studded tournament, Cummings went for 23 in a win over North Catholic.
5 star Meleek Thomas is caught hanging out with Jeff Capel last night as Pitt's number 1 target regardless of class. Thomas was respectable in Oregon but lost the matchup against 5 star Tounde Yessoufou in the semifinals where Lincoln was soundly beat. Pitt remains a heavy player for Thomas.
5 star Meleek Thomas is caught hanging out with Jeff Capel last night as Pitt's number 1 target regardless of class. Thomas was respectable in Oregon but lost the matchup against 5 star Tounde Yessoufou in the semifinals where Lincoln was soundly beat. Pitt remains a heavy player for Thomas.
From what I am hearing, it will be more than a mill if it’s a traditional school, IE Duke, Kentucky and include a Nike deal.
BUT there is significant, one might even call it PALPABLE, movement towards him staying home and signing for less. The early word was he was taking biggest NIL deal regardless. Now that he’s a 1 and done, barring injury, the money is almost negligible.
Would be the biggest commit of my lifetime regardless of sport.
I said this on the pay board but given that he’s basically a lock to be an NBA lottery pick and from Pittsburgh, you’d think that in addition to the usual “Collective” money we’d have to offer, that A412 could get some legitimate Pittsburgh business $ added to the offer given that he seems like one of the rare cases where there could actually be a ROI.
We should have negotiated Meleek Thomas money in the Nike re-up last summer.
I think a lot of it is a generational gap. You’ve gotta convince people who own businesses in this region that many, many, many more people in this area care about basketball than people might realize - especially the younger demographic. There’s a real ROI for a basketball player of Meleek’s caliber, especially when he’s a one and done and legitimately has the talent to have a signature shoe one day.
I would think that pay for play money would give non-blue bloods a better shot at 1 and dones. If a guy is going to be mega rich in 9 months, does it really matter to him if he makes $400K more at a blue blood?
The thing Pitt has to sell here is that he can have real marketability in Pittsburgh while he is in the NBA. If he goes to Kentucky and ends up being an All-Star level NBA player, lets say like a Halliburton or Westbrook level, no one in Pittsburgh will know who the heck he is. However, if he goes to Pitt, he can do deals with Edgar Snyder, Giant Eagle, etc while he is in the NBA because he would be marketable to yinzers.
Break the bank. Screw some mediocre football player or recruit. This is what you raise NIL funds for.
I don’t think that matters. Nike doesn’t want him at Pitt. Unfortunately, not a brand that moves the needle for them. Just another notch on the ole belt.
I was mostly kidding lol, but tbh it’s at least a good thing that he seems to be a Nike kid instead of getting shuttled to an adidas school.
I know pitt isnt the brand of uk or duke, but this kid could be like melo was for cuse if he comes here. I think the potential hometown hero one and done would sell in the area. And pittsburgh seems to be a blossoming basketball area/market without a pro team to steal the spotlight. If he goes to one of the big schools, he is just another kid, but at pitt they could build a brand out of him
Yeah they never build brands out of kids from North Carolina (Jordan) or Duke (Kyrie). Mostly kidding, but I think you’re overestimating building a brand based on a kid going to Pitt as opposed to the dude just ending up a really good NBA player. Really, the other brands have made a living off of more obscure schools/brands with UA/steph, Adidas/Dame Lilliard.
Also, Cuse at the time with Boeheim almost at the hall of fame already was second level of hierarchy. Not sure Capel/Pitt is at the same level for their possible jersey or other merchandise.
Absolutely. Eff football for a year. We went 3-9 paying Phil Jurkovec and word is we outbid people to keep Gavin Bartholomew so he can catch 15 passes next year. Football is a lost cause. Pay this kid whatever he needs and if it means you lose a few mediocre football players, who cares.
Only a few games though. Fans are still staying away but not because of any frustration with Capel. Pitt fans just arent going to come out in big numbers unless we are a Final Four contendor or we are decent and playing a big brand (ie Syr last year)
If they win fans will show up, many think last year was a fluke and not happening again, and so far we arent getting any top 25 hype. If pitt wins the next 3, then the fans will be back for the rest of the year, also if u have a potential backcourt of cummings evans and thomas, fans will show up more for the hometown kids
The Pete was sold out after a few years of playing at a high level and building up season ticket sales. We will do well with a good team and opponent but it will take time to build up to where we once were with attendance.
Add to this we have a player who can put up 30 on any given night and that will add butts in the seats in conference play.
This starting lineup would be nasty in 1 or 2 years and a final 4 contender. Meleek Thomas should reclass to 2024, but that does not mean he will.
PG- Lowe / Cummings
G- Thomas
G / WF- Carrington
Pf / C- Kante
Pf / C- Guillermo
Our scoring / rebounding / playmaking ability would be the best in the country at the 2 and 3 positions. 2 very promising PG's, and Im very bullish on that frontcourt duo.
PG- Lowe / Cummings
G- Thomas
G / WF- Carrington
Pf / C- Kante
Pf / C- Guillermo
Our scoring / rebounding / playmaking ability would be the best in the country at the 2 and 3 positions. 2 very promising PG's, and Im very bullish on that frontcourt duo.
We went to the Round of 32 and had a lot of guys back. You are saying fans require a 12-3 start before they decide to show up? Actually you are probably right. Pitt fans arent ever coming back unless we are a Final Four contender or are playing a big brand while being decent.
The Pete was sold out because we had Top 5 teams consistently. During Dixon 2, the place was empty during Nov/Dec and half full for a lot of the Big East/ACC games. Yinzers arent interested in a bubble program
If Meleek Thomas chooses Pitt and actually plays with Carrington, the Pete is going to look like 2009 / 2011 again.
I agree Pitt needs a big time consistent winner and a great team to fill the pete again. But a hometown superstar (Thomas) for hometown media hype playing on a powerhouse team = packed building.
Jeff Capel / AD need to go all in on Thomas and get it done. Get him early and keep Carrington, and the fireworks start and we are officially back like 2003-2011.
No but they do need the team to show they are legit, and to this point they havent this year. And blake and fede were the only returning starters from last year. We lost our 4 best guards, so yea casual fans are going to be skeptical. They also havent had any marquee games to sell yet. Mizzu and clemson arent selling tickets for bball, especially if u havent beaten a good team to that point. Also, just beating duke or unc along with cuse could be enough as well
Lol. So an extra $400K as a college freshman may not matter that much, but a pimping Giant Eagle, when already making millions in the league might play in the decision making process? 🤯
Totally depends on the kid here. I think most are inclined to sign with a school that had a legitimate chance to cut down the nets & play with a roster full of other 5-stars.
This isn't football where a boatload of 5 stars = squash the competition like Alabama and Georgia do every year on the field.
The Final 4 last year was Florida Atlantic, San Diego State, Miami and Uconn. And Miami got there because of 2 players that dominated at the 2 and 3 position which is what Pitt can do with Thomas / Carrington. Wong was a fringe top 100 player and Miller was a 0 star that was unranked.
2 years ago the Final 4 was Houston, Baylor, Gonzaga, and UCLA.
You have this notion that you have said over and over again that a team of 5 stars gets to the final 4 every year and no one else competes. And that flat out isn't the case in basketball like it is in football.
Yeah if we come up 400k short from Kentucky’s 1 mill offer we ain’t getting him.
Miami bought the best player in the portal.
FAU was just very well evaluated and got some luck along the way. This was supposed to be their year.
San Diego State was older than we ever will be save for last year. Also one of the most underrated coaches in the nation.
And UConn has recruited as much talent as anyone in the country and has a top 3 coach?
Baylor, UCLA and Gonzaga are blue bloods or borderline. Houston has a top 10 coach who has been solid for years. You’re proving TD’s point going back 2 years.
I think, and Ive said this many times in the past and disagreed with Dt_Pitt on this, but I think Pitt is going to be very competitive for Thomas at the end of the day as long as it is within reason. No, I don't think Pitt is going to offer millions to get him. Yes, I think Pitt could approach upwards of a million. This is a once in a generation opportunity for a hometown star.
I’ve said that multiple times lol. He’s also going to be offered millions from G League ignite and overtime elite. Wouldn’t be shocked if he went that route either.
Ill keep this on Pitt.
Jeff Capel went to the Elite 8 already. And the year he went to the Elite 8, he lost to the National Champion and one of the best teams in the last 30 years of college basketball.
So Capel is capable of making a tournament run with quality talent. And you yourself are higher on Thomas than I am.
With far less exposure. What did Duke pay for Cooper Flagg who is head and shoulders above everyone else right now?
That was 15 years ago as of Monday. And he had the #1 pick in the draft because his brother was already on campus. He was at an elite job, cheating his balls off. These situations aren’t remotely comparable
The chances of Thomas playing with Carrington is probably somewhere around 1%
Don’t know. Nike will never release that. Guarantee it was 7 Figures. 2.5-3 mill? Exposure lol. This isn’t 1990.
NBA draft 2023
1. France
2. College
3. G league ignite
4. Overtime elite
5. Overtime elite
If he wants to be a top 5 pick, which he has the ability to be, his best route is getting pro coaching, training and not learning sets that benefit selfish college coaches.
If Alliance 412 cant pay $1 million for a hometown lottery pick, I am canceling my membership and they may as well shut it down. Not that my donation makes a difference but you cant have the pay for play fund and miss out on paying a generational hometown player. Mothereffing Rutgets got the best 2 2024s not named Cooper Flagg. Mothereffing Rutgers! Pay Thomas and get it done.
He's going to be 18 next year and isn't going to make his millions or whatever dollar figure you want to associate with him playing for Lincoln.
I think he is also in danger of falling out of the top 10 nationally if he stays in the 2025 class. The 2025 class even without Flagg is just too stacked and he is ranked 9th on 247. He just lost a matchup against another elite fringe top 10 nationally ranked 5 star not even a week ago in Oregon. He's an Elite prospect. He isn't the 2nd coming of Jordan. He will be a great college player. Although Im not going beyond the word great yet in college and calling him an elite caliber college player. There is a lot of reasons for him to reclass as did Flagg.
