# Cavs vs Wizards: Draft Steal vs #1 Pick

> Cleveland's rookie Meleek Thomas steals the game from top pick AJ Dybantsa.
- Title: Cavs vs Wizards: Draft Steal vs #1 Pick | Shortify
- Summary: Cleveland's rookie Meleek Thomas steals the game from top pick AJ Dybantsa. Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Meleek Thomas secured a win by stopping top draft pick…
- Keywords: cleveland cavaliers, meleek thomas, aj dybantsa, washington wizards, nba draft, rookie, basketball, cavaliers draft pick, sports, Cavs, Wizards, Draft
- Source: Cleveland Cavaliers On SI — https://si.com/nba/cavaliers/onsi/cavs-vs-wizards-recap-the-steal-of-the-draft-vs-the-1-overall-pick-01m61tcqgey9
- Published: 2026-10-29T15:01:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: cleveland cavaliers, meleek thomas, aj dybantsa, washington wizards, nba draft, rookie, basketball, cavaliers draft pick, sports
## Draft Matchup
Cleveland Cavaliers faced Washington Wizards with first-round pick AJ Dybantsa and second-round pick Meleek Thomas.
## AJ Dybantsa Debut
AJ Dybantsa scored 19 points on 8-12 FG with a go-ahead jumper six minutes before the end.
## Meleek Thomas Debut
Meleek Thomas scored 10 points on 4-7 FG with four rebounds and a transition bucket.
## Key Moment
Thomas grabbed a loose board and raced for a transition bucket to win the game.
## Dybantsa's Impact
Dybantsa's mid-range jumper gave Washington a lead about 30 seconds before Thomas sealed the win.
## Rookie Defense
Thomas stayed with Trae Young consistently and locked down Dybantsa late in the game.
## Future Stars
Dybantsa will be a star in the NBA while Thomas is loved by fans and players.
## Game Outcome
Cleveland Cavaliers won the game after Meleek Thomas stopped the top pick from scoring.
## Key takeaway

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Meleek Thomas secured a win by stopping top draft pick AJ Dybantsa in a crucial game.