"The definition of a 'dog' on the court": Trainer who shaped stars like LeBron and Kevin Durant praises Arkansas commit Meleek Thomas 

Five-star guard and Arkansas commit Meleek Thomas has received praise from a trainer who has worked with the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Chris Joseph Brickley has lauded the mentality of Thomas, saying the No. 9 ranked prospect in ESPN’s top 100 ranking of the Class of 2025 is one of the best guards in the country.

The 37-year-old former college assistant coach shared this on his Instagram page on Wednesday.

“5 ⭐️ Arkansas Commit @meleek.thomas is the definition of a “dog” on the court. Every drill is game speed. Every rep is explosive. One of the best guards in the country. I love his mentality.

"Tbh as far as workouts go, his urgency to get better reminds me of some of the best scorers in the game. It’s 60-75 minutes of constant pushing. Drop a 🏁 if you like his game!!,” Brickley shared this caption with a reel of Meleek in training on his IG page.

Brickley knows a thing or two about great players, having trained some of the game's greats. As per Kevin Love via the NBA, Brickley is more than just a trainer.

“Chris’ approach to the game and attention to detail make him different than other trainers,” Love said. “He is consistently wanting to get better. He works every single day on bringing guys from every level in here. I think he understands that he can learn from every player that he works with while continuing to evolve and have guys sharpen their games.

Meleek Thomas announced his commitment to John Calipari's Arkansas last month. He chose the Hogs over the likes of UConn, Auburn, and Pitt.

Meleek Thomas has scoring in DNA, per ESPN draft analyst

While Brickley praised Meleek Thomas' work ethic and mentality, ESPN draft analyst Paul Biancardi lauded his sheer skill at scoring the basketball.

“He’s a scoring guard, that’s his DNA,” ESPN national recruiting director Paul Biancardi said per the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “He’s long, he’s thin and he’s got shake and wiggle off the dribble to go past defenders. At any moment in a possession, he can score on you.”

Thomas started his basketball journey at Lincoln Park Performing Arts, averaging 23.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 3.3 steals per game and helping them win a second straight PIAA state championship. He scored a whopping 1,750 points during his time at the school.

Meleek Thomas is currently playing for the City Reapers at Overtime. He is off to a great start after dropping 32 points and 12 rebounds on opening night. The shooting guard is averaging 37.6 points per game, 5.8 assists and 15.0 rebounds per game for Overtime this season, including preseason games.